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Crimson Dichotomy 1: Seduction
Aubrey Ross
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2008 Aubrey Ross
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement,
including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison
and a fine of $250,000.
ISB-: 978-1-60521-010-0
Formats Available:
HTML, Adobe PDF,
MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader
Publisher:
Changeling Press LLC
PO Box 1046
Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046
www.ChangelingPress.com
Editor: Maryam Salim
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
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This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not
appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country
in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
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Crimson Dichotomy 1: Seduction
Aubrey Ross
When a desperate Dichotomy seeks the help of a ruthless vampire in her quest for vengeance against the elder council, a team
of hybrid “Sentinels” is dispatched to ensure their safety. Much to his chagrin, Steffen Ziegler is assigned to the pampered
only daughter of Councilman Ruiz.
Bella seldom leaves the safety of her family’s estate, so she finds Steffen’s intrusion ridiculous. Determined to dissuade the
enigmatic Sentinel from shadowing her every move, she provokes and seduces him. She doesn’t expect to enjoy the game
quite so much or to crave the pleasure she has only known in his embrace.
Steffen is enchanted by the tempting vixen, but unfortunately the danger is real. He must focus entirely on protecting Bella,
even if that means resisting the unexpected attraction raging between them.
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Chapter One
Malibu, California
Feeling more like an errant schoolgirl than the lady of the house, Isabella Ruiz paused outside her father’s office. It didn’t
matter that she was twenty-seven years old and director of a multi-million dollar foundation. Her father continually thought of, and
treated her like, a child.
She smoothed down her narrow skirt and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before announcing her presence with a
firm knock.
“It’s open.” Though muffled, her father’s voice was easily recognizable.
She pushed the door open and stepped into the book-lined room. “You sent for me?” A touch of annoyance revealed her
impatience. She had too much to do to indulge her father’s need to run her life.
“Actually, I requested your presence.” Like the welcome caress of a steamy shower, an unfamiliar voice flowed across her
senses.
She turned and looked at the speaker, expecting someone as dark and sensual as his voice. Nearly black and filled with
secrets, his thick-lashed eyes were the only feature that fulfilled her expectations. His hair was blond, short on the sides, yet longer on
top, with a tendency to spill across his forehead. She wanted to push her fingers through those wayward strands, removing the
distraction from his sculpted features. With his muscular build and light complexion, the stranger looked more Viking than Valentino.
He pushed to his feet and held out his hand. “Steffen Ziegler.” Dressed in jeans and a pullover shirt, he was worlds apart
from the staid executives who usually visited her father.
“If you asked to see me, I presume you know my name.” His long, cool, fingers enfolded her hand and awareness rushed
across her nerve endings. Her heartbeat staggered then raced, unable to find a steady rhythm. She inhaled slowly and licked her lips.
His gaze focused on her mouth and those night black eyes began to smolder. “I know many things, Ms. Ruiz. I just hope
you’re willing to benefit from my experience.”
Her brow arched at his arrogance. “Is there a particular subject in which you wish to enlighten me, or shall I just bask in
your august presence?”
“Bella.” Her father’s tone snapped with warning, but Steffen smiled.
“Your father told me you can be… challenging. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll explain why I’m here?”
Unusually aware of her every movement, she slipped into one of the two chairs situated in front of the mahogany desk. She
crossed her legs and took a deep breath, amazed that her father would allow anyone else to dominate a conversation. It wasn’t like
Hector Ruiz to accept a passive role in any situation.
Steffen moved to one side of the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. She could see both men without turning her head,
which was likely the reason he’d chosen the position. The odd awareness lingered, subdued by the lack of physical contact, but
undeniably there.
“Do you know the Burton family?” Steffen began.
“I know of them.” She shot her father a confounded glance, wishing she could send her thoughts as pureblood Dichotomy
could. Who was this guy? How much did he know about their people?
Easily interpreting her expression, her father said, “Steffen knows about the Dichotomy. You may speak freely.”
She turned back to the handsome inquisitor. “Have the Burtons acted inappropriately? What do they have to do with me?”
“The Burtons are in the middle of a blood feud with the Nicholsons.”
“The Burtons would object to that characterization,” her father said. “The Nicholsons have been fugitives for years. The
Burtons have simply been the focus of their hostilities.”
“We have reason to believe their focus has expanded to include the entire council.”
Bella tried not to reveal her impatience. “Father employs a fulltime security staff. Threats against the council are nothing
new.”
“And will this fulltime security staff be able to protect you from beings who can instantaneously appear and also penetrate
your mental shielding?”
“The Nicholsons have no such abilities.”
Steffen unfolded his arms and took a step toward her. “The Nicholsons are no longer your primary concern. If I’m not
mistaken, Valerie is the only one still on the loose.”
“She is,” Hector confirmed. “Now stop sparring with Bella and get to the point.”
“Valerie has formed an alliance with a vampire named Taerok.”
“A vampire?” She looked back at her father, but his features remained expressionless. “Vampires are even more xenophobic
than we are. Why would a vampire align himself with an obscure Dichotomy?”
“A very good question.” Hector rested his hands on the desktop and gazed at Steffen expectantly.
“We’re not sure about Taerok’s motivation, but they’re definitely working together.”
“Or at least they were three weeks ago,” Hector said. “There have been no new attacks in all that time. Isn’t it possible the
vampire was hired for that one occasion?”
“Possible, but not likely.”
The Dichotomy could sense each other. Even a halfling like Bella recognized the unique energy pattern of her father’s
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people. Steffen wasn’t a Dichotomy. In fact, she’d never sensed anyone quite like him. Sunlight spilled into the office through the open
blinds, so he couldn’t be a vampire. Could he?
“How did you become involved in this?” she asked their enigmatic visitor.
“Leos Burton asked for our help identifying the vampire he’d encountered during his latest confrontation with the
Nicholsons. It wasn’t hard for us to determine who we were dealing with.”
“You keep saying ‘us’ and ‘we.’ Do you belong to some sort of organization?”
“We’re rather like human special forces, discreet, yet merciless. We’re not the sort of team you contact if you’re looking for
diplomacy.”
The answer was vague at best, so she made her question more specific. “Are you a vampire or a vampire hunter?”
“My species is irrelevant to this conversation. Taerok has developed an interest in the Dichotomy, and Valerie Nicholson is
making sure he focuses that interest on people with a connection to the council. Are you such a person?”
“You know I am.”
“I’ve left detailed instructions with your father. I recommend you follow them to the letter.”
“What sort of instructions?”
“The sort that will keep you alive. As of right now, there has been no collateral damage. I’d like to keep it that way.”
“May I see these instructions?” Her father handed her a single sheet of paper as his gaze darted toward Steffen. The first few
suggestions were common sense, and precautions she already followed. The third stipulation made her laugh. “Do not leave the
residence after dark? Is this a joke? The autumn benefit is next weekend.”
“Cancel it.”
“Impossible,” she mimicked his rigid tone. “The Serenity Foundation generates sixty percent of their funding at these
events.”
“Get someone else to --”
“No. I have private security agents who accompany me whenever I interact with the public. The foundation’s work is too
important to compromise because of the possibility of a threat.”
Steffen turned to Hector and said, “I need to speak with Ms. Ruiz privately.”
Expecting an adamant refusal, Bella’s jaw dropped when her father inclined his head and rolled back from his desk.
“There is nothing you can say that will change my mind.” Her heart thudded faster with each step her father took toward the
door. She shot to her feet, meaning to follow him from the office.
With blinding speed and inhuman agility, Steffen grasped her upper arms and spun her around. She gasped and tugged against
his hold. The desk pressed against the back of her thighs and his big body loomed in front of her, abolishing her momentary hope of
escape. His fingers banded her flesh, the unyielding pressure stopping just short of pain.
At close range his appeal was even more disconcerting. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to wrap herself around him,
abandoning reality to the passion promised in his night black eyes, or use her last ounce of strength to shove him away. No one
touched her so aggressively. So why was her body melting, warming, pulsing…
“How much do you know about vampires?” Mockery threaded through his whisper soft question and amber sparks ignited
within the depths of his gaze.
Mesmerized by the masculine beauty of his features, she scrambled for a coherent reply. “I know they’re real, and I know
they foster misinformation to increase their mystique.”
One tawny brow arched. “You feel their mystique is unwarranted?” His gaze bore into hers for a long, tense moment, then he
took her by the waist and lifted her to the desktop. Setting her well back from the edge, he then slid her toward him, effectively pulling
up her skirt in the process. His knees nudged hers apart and his hands shifted to her hips.
The position insinuated intimacy without actually touching her sexually. It didn’t matter. Lust and uncertainty twisted within
her. Her core ached and her nipples tingled, while warnings chimed within her mind. Why was he… Why was she letting him?
“Back off!” She finally shoved against his chest and glared into his eyes.
“I can smell your arousal, little hellion, and hear the frantic beating of your heart.” He brushed his knuckles across her
flushed cheek. “You’re excited by danger.”
“I’m excited by roller coasters, too. So what? This means nothing!”
He ignored her resistance and brought his face within inches of hers. “Most vampires would interpret your reaction as an
invitation. They’d seduce your senses and erode your defenses, until you freely offered your body and your blood.” He grabbed her
hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat.
Fear surged through her building desire. She twisted and screamed, renewing her struggles. Unmoved by her efforts, he
pressed his mouth against her skin and wrapped his arms around her torso. She couldn’t move, could barely breathe.
His scent muddled her thinking, blurred the horror of what he was about to do. She waited for the first prick of his fangs, the
burning pain as he savaged her flesh. Had he bitten her father? Was that why Hector obeyed so mindlessly?
“Feel me.” His voice flowed through her, leeching the strength from her body as his smoky presence swirled into her mind.
He caressed her back, pressing her against his chest and the apex of his thighs. His lips slid across her skin, his teeth lightly scraping.
Sensations tumbled through her abdomen and gathered between her thighs, focusing her attention on the hardness of his cock gently
rocking against her feminine center.
She trembled, aware of her unnatural surrender, yet unable to move.
Watch. Despite his command -- or perhaps because of it -- her eyelids drooped, blocking out reality. Know the pleasure of
my touch.
Her body remained stiff and helpless within the unyielding circle of his arms. Yet her mind filled with images, tantalizing
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and vivid, creating sensations indistinguishable from reality. In her mind, she faced the desk and Steffen pressed against her back. His
hands moved boldly over her curves, cupping her breasts and exploring her thighs as she braced against the desktop.
He opened her blouse with an impatient yank, sending buttons flying across the room. She gasped and rested her head against
his shoulder. Her breasts felt heavy, the nipples so tightly beaded they stung. He drew her bra straps down and teased her through the
lacy material.
Take it off. I want nothing between your flesh and mine.
Her image shrugged out of the blouse and quickly discarded the bra. Then she returned her hands to the desk and waited for
his touch, his preference, his pleasure. He cupped her breasts, his hands firm and cool against her flesh. His thumbs abraded her
nipples, praising her eager response.
He rolled the hardened peaks between his thumb and forefinger, pulling against them with slow, firm pressure. Her soft
groan built in the vision, but escaped in reality.
ow the skirt.
Bella shook her head, silently denying her easy acceptance of his demanding touch. Her imaginary self unzipped her skirt and
wiggled out of the sturdy material, revealing her black lace panties. How did he know what her underwear looked like? This wasn’t
possible.
She wore lace-topped stockings and a garter belt, rather than simple nylons. That much was his embellishment. Still, the
other garments were as accurate as if he’d watched her dress. The possibility sent a secret thrill through her treacherous body.
He dragged the panties down, yet left them bunched around her knees. I want to bind you, hold you prisoner while I explore
every inch of your soft body. I’ll touch you and taste you until you scream for release.
Renewed excitement sizzled along her nerve endings. Another image formed within the illusion, the multilayered vision
dizzying. She was spread-eagled on a narrow table, bound hand and foot, while Steffen circled her, his ravenous gaze devouring her
from every angle.
Yes! her imaginary self gasped. I want that too. Take me. Command me. She arched her back and rubbed her bottom against
the blatant ridge of his erection.
He cupped her mound with one hand and banded her waist with the other. His middle finger slid between her folds, moving
easily in her cream. He rubbed back and forth, back and forth, dragging his finger over her clit until she trembled in frustration.
Are you ready, love? His teasing fingers circled her opening, focusing her attention on the need pulsing there. Do you want
me deep inside you?
Yes. Her response was less certain this time.
Sliding his damp fingers across her thigh, he squeezed her bottom before thrusting his fingers into her pussy from behind.
Bella gasped. She could feel the blissful pressure and the tantalizing slide. His thumb sneaked upward, teasing her anus as he drove
into her cunt.
“Please stop,” she whispered in reality, but her image had other ideas.
In the vision she moved her legs apart, feeling her panties stretch as she struggled to give him more room. Fill me. Fuck me
now! She bent over the desk and pushed to the balls of her feet.
If you want my cock, you must accept my fangs.
Scalding desire blasted through the vision. Her image shivered and her physical body clenched, empty and needful. Her
imaginary self drew her hair away from her neck, an obvious invitation.
“No!” Bella sobbed. “I wouldn’t do that. I don’t want…”
His image grasped her hips and accepted her brazen offer. Bella cried out. Her core stretched and rippled. She could feel the
pressure as distinctly as if he were really inside her. After three sharp thrusts, he forced her flat against the desk and claimed her neck
as well. Pain sliced through her throat, yet pleasure burst within the vision. Sensations swept through her and washed over her, the
metaphysical blending with reality. Her passage constricted in powerful spasms and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She
shuddered and moaned, clinging to her tormentor in helpless confusion.
He waited for the import of what he’d showed her to register before he spoke. “It’s that easy for a vampire to create a blood
slave. If I had been Taerok, you would have been robbed of your will and your personality. You would exist only to please and
nourish your master.”
Shaken and breathless, she brushed her hair out of her eyes and unwound her legs from around his waist. “Then why would
they hesitate? Why isn’t every human on the planet a blood slave to some vampire?”
“Every time a vampire creates a blood slave or uses any of their abilities indiscriminately they risk exposure.” His hands
lingered against her shoulders before he regained enough composure to pull away. “Anonymity is essential to their survival.”
“You speak of vampires in the abstract.” She rubbed her neck, half expecting to find a bite mark marring her skin. “If you’re
not a vampire, how were you able to create that illusion?” There was no delicate way to phrase it, so she just spit it out. “What are
you?”
“We’re called Sentinels.” Dragging his passion bright gaze away from her mouth, he finally stepped back from the desk.
“We investigate situations involving supernatural beings and act according to the laws governing their particular species. My specific
physiology is… unique.” His expression was carefully guarded, his tone curt and uninformative. “Taerok is our primary concern.
Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by unimportant details.”
She wasn’t convinced his unique physiology was unimportant, but she let it go for now. “If Taerok is so powerful, how do
we fight him? There has to be a way to keep me safe without turning me into a prisoner.”
“The precautions will only be necessary until he’s apprehended.”
“What are the chances of that happening before next Saturday?” She scooted off the desk and smoothed down her skirt. “I
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can’t cancel the benefit.”
His gaze narrowed, but a reluctant smile bowed his lips. “Are you always this stubborn?”
“Always.” Refusing to dwell on the vision or the unbelievable sensations still echoing through her body, she took a deep
breath and pointed out, “We’re expecting around six hundred people. Will he risk an attack with that many witnesses?”
Steffen sighed and his expression turned thoughtful. “I’ll talk to my supervisor. See if we can work out a compromise.”
“I’d appreciate it.” Despite her best effort, she still felt uncomfortably aware of her uninvited guest. “The Serenity
Foundation is my life.”
“You’ve made that abundantly clear. Now you need to decide if the Serenity Foundation is worth your life.” Without waiting
for her reply, he turned and left the room.
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Chapter Two
From the darkened corner of the bedroom, Payne watched his companion enter. Waking up alone was nothing new. Taerok
refused to explain himself to anyone. Still, Payne sensed significance in Taerok’s mysterious errands that went far beyond fresh blood
and wet pussy. He knew Taerok craved variety and Payne understood his place at Taerok’s side depended on his willingness to
indulge his master’s every desire.
Still, this was their bedroom, their private haven away from the hedonistic life of a vampire leader. Taerok cradled the
unconscious woman against his chest. Payne could see no more than her long blonde hair, but the care with which Taerok touched her
irritated him. Taerok kicked the door closed and headed for the bed. Their bed.
“Is this why you’ve been so secretive lately?” The words were out before Payne considered the jealousy revealed by his
sharp tone.
Taerok didn’t even turn his head as he deposited the woman in the middle of the bed. “I’m your sire, not your mate. You’re
well aware of my needs.”
“I’ve never begrudged you your entertainments, sir. Why have you hidden her from me?”
“She’s not merely an entertainment. This one is special.”
Pushing away from the wall, Payne crossed to the bed and surveyed his rival. She lay on her back, legs bent, and angled to
one side. Silky blonde hair streamed across the pillow and framed her oval face. Her features were delicate, almost child-like. He
grasped her chin and turned her head to one side and then the other, noting numerous puncture wounds on her slender throat.
“How long has she been feeding you?” He’d barely seen his master in the past few weeks and Taerok often fed every other
day. Still, he hadn’t expected Taerok to bring his new toy home with him.
“This isn’t about blood. She isn’t human.”
Payne stiffened and inhaled deeply, searching for the familiar scent of his master’s blood. “Has she been awakened?”
“You misunderstand. She was never human. Her people are called the Dichotomy.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“That’s not surprising.” Taerok’s eyes glittered and his nostrils flared. “I awakened you seventeen years ago. Your
education is far from complete.”
“Then teach me, sir. What is so special about this female?”
“The Dichotomy are unique. I’ve never encountered a species quite like them. They are two distinct beings and yet they are
one.”
Reinforcing his composure with another deep breath, Payne admitted, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“During the day each Dichotomy has one personality and appearance. At dusk they transfigure, becoming a completely
different person.”
“What happens to their original persona?”
“The day-dweller exists in energy form during the night and the nocturnal half is energy during the day.”
Payne returned his gaze to the woman on the bed. “This is her nocturnal appearance?”
“Yes.”
“Does she have other abilities? Why are you interested in this duality?”
“Unlike the majority of her kind, her nocturnal half is in control. Twelve days ago I fed her a small amount of my blood and
she was able to trap her day-dwelling half in energy form. This persona has been in control ever since, both day and night.”
He couldn’t imagine such a creature, but Taerok had no reason to lie. “How does this benefit you?”
“She wants me to awaken her and I’ve decided to grant her request. My blood allowed her to control her day-dwelling half.
After she’s been awakened, I will continue to feed from her. I suspect her transformed blood will give me more control than I ever
dreamed possible.”
“What are you hoping to control? Your compulsions are already --”
“This has noting to do with compulsions. I want to resist my solar trance and venture out in the light of day.”
“Everyone covets the things they cannot have.” The flash of irritation in Taerok’s eyes should have silenced him. He knew
better than to argue with his master. Even so, the woman threatened his position and implied a need he was unable to fulfill. “You go
wherever you want and do only what pleases you. How would gaining access to the day change your life?”
“It’s a weakness,” Taerok snapped. “A weakness my enemies might exploit. Now stop arguing with me. We are going to
awaken this female.”
“We?”
“Yes, we. She must want this with every fiber of her being or she will not survive. She cannot submit to transformation out of
some misplaced emotional connection. If she has romantic notions about what her life will be like, we must strip them away before
we begin.”
Payne knew from experience what Taerok meant. Fledglings had no rights. They were treated with contempt for the first few
years of their transformed lives, especially by organic vampires. It was only as their strength increased and they developed vampiric
abilities that they were afforded any measure of respect. Payne had been fucked and bitten, beaten and abused by every vampire he
encountered until he became strong enough to put up a fight.
Taerok refused to protect him. That was not the vampire way. Only the strong survived within their society. Positions were
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established by domination or destruction. No wonder there were so few left.
Payne looked at the blonde with new interest. It had been a long time since anyone had been in a position less powerful than
his. Taerok was still his master, would always be his master, but the thought of the female on her knees, obediently offering her mouth
or her tight pink ass sent lust rushing through his body.
“Valerie.”
Her name sounded distorted and far away. Why did she feel so odd? When had she fallen asleep? She raised her lids and
golden candlelight wavered across stone walls. “Where am I?”
She’d been in her apartment, trying not to think about her sister’s recent death. A rush of anger cleared some of the confusion
from her mind. Like her parents and her brothers, Brook had been murdered in the name of justice. Would the hypocrisy never end?
Determined to make sense out of the jumble, she struggled to a sitting position and looked around. She was on a bed in a
large, barren room. A faded oriental rug covered the floorboards, but the walls were unadorned, the only window tightly shuttered.
In her sorrow, she’d cried out to Taerok. He’d appeared, as he always did when she needed him most. He’d taken her in his
arms and placed his mouth over hers and… She couldn’t remember anything after the kiss.
He stood now at the foot of the bed, silent and still. His hands were clasped behind his back, drawing his tee shirt tight
across his lean chest. Candlelight picked up the lighter tones in his warm brown hair and accented the sharp angles of his features.
“You want to be transformed,” he said without preamble. “Before we begin, I insist you understand exactly what that
means.”
“I do understand.” She curled her legs beneath her and folded her hands in her lap, wanting to appear calm and composed.
They’d discussed the possibility several times before, but never had he indicated he was willing to grant her wish. “My life as a
Dichotomy will end and I’ll be reborn as a vampire.”
“It’s not nearly that simple. We do not know what will happen to your day-dwelling twin. I’ve never awakened a Dichotomy
before.”
“A few drops of your blood gave me complete control over Emily. My transformation will only make me stronger.”
He moved to the side of the bed, his stride rolling and unhurried. “I hope for that outcome as well, but we have no guarantee.
You are nocturnal by nature. It is likely Emily will fight the transformation with every fiber of her being.”
“I can control Emily. You have no idea how much I want this.”
“Your true determination is what we need to ascertain. My world is very different from yours. Vampires survive by their
instincts and their brutality. I have shielded you from the harsher realities of my existence.”
He raised his elegant hand and a shadow separated from the darkness. The aberration rolled across the floor like smoke,
then swirled into a column beside him. A shape formed within the vapor and Valerie pressed her hand to her chest. The smoke
dissipated as suddenly as it had arisen leaving a man, or rather a male vampire.
Taerok always flashed into sight without dramatics. Who was this other man? Half a head taller than Taerok and more
heavily muscled, the stranger studied her as intently as she studied him. His dark hair had a hint of red and his eyes were emerald
green. Taerok’s allure was almost indefinable, while this man was down right gorgeous.
She looked from Taerok to the newcomer and back. “Why is he here?”
“Payne is my companion. If anything you are intruding on his domain, not the other way around.”
Her eyes rounded and she scooted back toward the wall. “Why did you… sleep with me if you were already involved?”
“This is your first lesson and it is an important one. Vampires often fuck when they feed. Sexual arousal infuses blood with
energy. The concept works in the reverse as well. Vampires often become sexually stimulated when they take a person’s blood. You
offered me your blood and when I accepted your offer, I became eager for your body. Do you understand?”
She crossed her arms over her chest feeling ridiculously naive. “That’s all I mean to you?”
“I’m fond of you. I enjoy spending time with you, but there is no grand passion between us. I find pleasure in your body and
your blood is unusually potent. Monogamy and love are concepts that have little meaning in my world.”
“A vampire can’t love?”
“I didn’t say that. Some vampires form a sort of symbiotic union, where all they need is each other, but those bondings are
few and far between. Far more of us abandon ourselves to the freedom of fucking without regret or shame. There is no risk of
pregnancy and no sexually transmitted diseases, so why not indulge the flesh?”
She wasn’t opposed to the idea. She’d always had a healthy sex drive and the pleasure she’d known with Taerok had been
far more intense than with any of her other lovers. Still, social standards couldn’t be dismissed with a shrug and a smile. “Will I have
to fuck every time I feed?”
“No, but you’ll want to.” Payne spoke to her directly for the first time. “How often do you come when Taerok does no more
than take your blood?”
She looked away to hide her guilty blush.
“The sensation is even more intense when you’re the one feeding. Bloodlust and sexual hunger are interconnected.”
Still unsure why Payne was here, she looked into his glimmering eyes. “It doesn’t bother you that he’s spent most of the last
three weeks in my bed?”
“Jealousy is a useless emotion. Do you begrudge those you care about the things that bring them pleasure? You’re still
thinking like a human or a Dichotomy. Vampires live by different rules. The older and more powerful they grow, the more demanding
they become. Taerok is my sire, my mentor, and my master. I serve him willingly and without reservation.”
Her gaze flew back to Taerok as her heart lurched within her chest. “Is this what you want from me?”
“It’s what every sire expects from those they awaken. I will give you immortality and in exchange you will serve me in any
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way I choose for a minimum of twenty-five years.”
“Twenty-five years is nothing when you gain centuries of life, health, and prosperity,” Payne pointed out.
“You will be my obedient slave, submitting completely to my every desire. If I want to watch Payne fuck you, you will get
on your hands and knees. If I want to share you with my friends, you will freely offer your body and your blood to anyone who wants
to sample you.” He paused, his dark eyes boring into hers. “Are you starting to see more clearly?”
“I have no problem fucking you. I’ll do anything you want me to, but can’t --”
“Vanity is common among vampires. We like to show off our slaves. You will be shared, Valerie. If you cannot accept this
reality, I will not transform you.”
Uncertainty welled within her. She wanted the power and longevity he promised, but could she submit her body to multiple
partners, in any way they chose to use her? She’d be little more than a blood whore for twenty-five years.
Payne lightly touched her knee, drawing her attention back to his handsome face. “Being fucked by a vampire is not nearly as
amazing as fucking once you are a vampire. Your inhibitions will melt away and you will wonder why you ever hesitated.”
“How long have you served Taerok?”
“Seventeen years. I won’t lie to you, the first few were challenging. I caught the eye of Taerok’s cousin and my entire
concept of pleasure evolved. I’d never known anyone who could be that vicious.”
She looked at Taerok as pity and anger eroded her composure. “Why did you allow this man to abuse someone under your
protection?”
Taerok laughed. “My cousin is female and Payne learned to crave her cruelties. Whenever he is slow to respond now all I
have to do is mention her name and he blasts off like a geyser.”
Blood letting ogres, vicious pleasure? Was this really a world to which she wanted to belong?
“I see doubt in your eyes,” Taerok noted. “I thought your decision was made.”
“I’ll admit I’m apprehensive, but I think that was your intention. I haven’t changed my mind.”
“I require more than your word. Demonstrate your willingness to obey.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Stand here.” He motioned to the floor in front of him and Payne.
They were going to tag team her, or worse, fuck her at the same time. She had no doubt that’s what he intended. And this
would be the first of many. Her pulse finally found a comfortable rhythm, slightly faster than normal, but steady. Excitement
blossomed within her trepidation. Taerok had never hurt her and Payne was certainly attractive. She could do this. As Payne had said,
it was a small price to pay for immortality.
She scooted off the bed and slipped past Taerok, positioning herself in front of the two men.
“Undress. I’m well acquainted with your charms, but Payne has never seen you.”
She kicked off her shoes and worked the buttons on the front of her blouse. “May I ask a question?”
“Of course.”
“You two obviously enjoy both sexes. Are there some vampires who prefer one or the other?”
“I can’t speak for all vampires,” Taerok said, “but I enjoy fucking -- period.”
“Can vampires have children?”
Payne answered this time. “The vast majority of vampires reproduce through transformation, so gender is irrelevant. Only
organic vampires can procreate and only with other organic vampires. So all the gender related categories humans adore have little
meaning in our world.”
She tried to accept the information as casually as it was offered, but her mind was spinning. They were going to fuck her,
drain her blood until her heart stopped, and then feed her their blood. Would she drink from both of them or just Taerok? Did it
matter?
Desperate for a distraction from her fear, she folded her blouse and placed it on the floor. Her bra followed and then her
pants. She pulled off her socks, wishing they would say something.
Taerok watched her in silent assessment, his expression inscrutable. Payne had begun a lazy orbit that was even more
disconcerting. She finally pulled off her panties and straightened her arms at her sides. Her body wasn’t bad. She had nice, full
breasts, but her waist was a bit thick and despite hours on a treadmill she couldn’t slim down her thighs.
“Sit on the end of the bed. She can prepare you, while I prepare her.”
When Payne walked back into her peripheral vision he was naked too. Holy mother of God! The man was sculpted like a
champion bodybuilder. Had his body looked this good before he was awakened?
Taerok stepped up beside her and smiled. “Rather impressive, isn’t he? That’s one of the glorious things about awakening
humans. The transformation identifies the optimum potential of a person’s DNA and locks their body in that shape forever.”
“It only works with humans?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never awakened a Dichotomy.”
“You look damned good just the way you are,” Payne said with a charming smile. “Come here and let me see if you feel as
good as you look.”
Taerok led her forward as Payne spread his legs, proudly displaying his sex. Heavy and hairless, his balls rested lightly
against the edge of the bed. His cock was already thick and long and she suspected it was only semi-hard. Taerok had been the most
impressive man she’d ever touched, but he couldn’t compare with Payne.
“Touch him, suck him if you like, but bend from the waist.”
After a brief kiss, Payne guided her downward. He obviously wanted her mouth on his cock. She enjoyed the velvet soft
feeling of his scrotum before closing her hand around his shaft. His fingers fisted in the back of her hair when she did no more than
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stroke him. Understanding the silent warning, she sucked the massive tip into her mouth.
He arched off the bed, driving his cock deeper into her wet heat. She swirled her tongue, barely able to move around his
hardening girth. Damn, the man was big.
Taerok’s hands stroked her bottom and teased her inner thighs. Would he fuck her from behind while she sucked off Payne?
She’d never been with two men before. The possibilities both thrilled and intimidated her.
Before she could determine his intentions, his fingers slid into the crack between her bottom cheeks. His touch felt slick and
unusually cool. Lubricant. He’d said he was going to prepare her, she just hadn’t realized what he meant.
She’d been ass fucked before. Even Taerok hadn’t been her first. When he’d held her down and crammed his full length into
her tight, back passage, he’d seemed disappointed that he hadn’t hurt her. Still, the pleasure that followed had been unbelievable.
His fingers pushed boldly past her sphincter then twisted, smearing the lube in all directions. “You like this, don’t you?”
Payne wouldn’t release her long enough so she could reply. He matched the steady bobbing of her head with a rocking
motion. “She’s good at this, too.”
“She’ll have to give you a complete demonstration another time. I have something else in mind for tonight.” Taerok pulled
her up and Payne’s cock slipped from her mouth, wet and massively erect. She eyed the appealing length one last time before Taerok
turned her around. “No matter how prepared you think you are, your instinct for survival will take over and you will fight me.”
“You’re more than strong enough to hold me down.” She’d put the concept to the test often enough to know. There was
nothing as exciting as struggling against an unbreakable hold as he thrust hard and deep between her thighs. Maybe she was better
suited to this life than she realized. Desire dropped hot and heavy into the pit of her stomach. Her core melted and heated, preparing
for his entry. “I’m not afraid.”
“You will be.” Amber light ignited within his gaze, burning away the darkness until only heat remained.
She stared into the brightness and fear snaked through her lust. Firm hands grasped her hips, pulling her backward as
Taerok’s hand clasped around her throat. Instinctively she grabbed his arm, but that only freed Payne to position her more rapidly.
The blunt head of his cock found her anus and her eyes flew open wide. He was too big to even consider… He brought her
down onto his erection with unrelenting pressure. Her body spread around his thick shaft, wider and wider, stretching. She tried to
struggle, but Taerok simply tightened his grip on her throat.
Lights danced before her eyes and she sagged against Payne’s chest, accepting the painful invasion with a shuddering sigh.
He shifted her calves to the outside of his legs, forcing his cock ever deeper.
A whimper escaped as Taerok eased his hold, allowing air to flow freely. Payne held her firmly with one arm wrapped
around her waist, but his other hand stroked her breasts.
Invaded, impaled, overwhelmed, she felt helpless and… She was helpless. That’s what she needed to understand. They
could just as easily snuff out her life as follow through with their promises.
“Who am I?” Taerok demanded. The intensity of his eyes had decreased enough that she could see the transformation of his
features. His eyebrows slashed at ruthless angles, accenting the pronounced ridges in his forehead. His cheekbones were always
sharp, but now they jutted to cadaverous peaks.
“Master.” She forced the word past her dry lips as her soul shuddered.
“Offer me your life.”
“It is yours.”
He licked her lips, then kissed her, his tongue boldly claiming. “Offer me your body.”
“Take me. Please.”
He thrust his fingers into her pussy and she cried out. Payne stretched her so tightly there was hardly any room in her cunt.
She closed her eyes, preparing for more discomfort, but he left his fingers inside her and gently circled her clit.
“Relax. Accept what you are becoming. Offer me your cream.”
His touch was skilled and a welcome relief from the pain. She concentrated on the sensual glide of his thumb, needing the
small show of tenderness more than she wanted to admit.
“Give Payne your wrist. We will drain you together.”
Everything within her balked at his words. This was it! They meant to consume her blood until her heart stopped beating.
What if they didn’t bring her back? What if…
Payne took her arm and pulled her wrist to his mouth. Taerok knelt between her legs and paused to lick her pussy before he
pressed his lips against the inside of her thigh. Time stood still. She was paralyzed with fear and compulsion. Her head dropped back
against Payne’s shoulder and both men bit down.
She screamed and went wild between them. Payne angled his arm across her chest, without releasing her wrist. Taerok
draped her leg over his shoulder and firmly grasped her hips. Payne’s cock anchored her in place as they fed. Heat flowed through
her, comforting at first, then scalding, consuming. Strength drained out of her with each powerful suck.
Stop! Please, I don’t… I’m… The terrified words never made it past her mind. She melted into Payne’s embrace, knowing
with absolute certainty that her life was about to end.
No bright white light. No crowd of loved ones waiting to embrace her.
Taerok slowly withdrew his fangs from her leg. Payne still fed, meticulously tracking the decreasing rhythm of her heart. He
must stop a moment before she died, yet make sure she did die. She understood all this with surreal clarity.
Cold darkness closed in around her. Sensation faded, leaving one fleeting moment of bittersweet regret. And then nothing at
all.
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Chapter Three
Far too anxious to remain still, Bella paced the sitting area adjacent to her bedroom the following afternoon. The sunny
alcove had long since become a private office. Her father preferred she work from home as often as possible. She shook her head at
the understatement. If her father had his way, she’d never leave the estate. Granted she was his only child, but he acted as if he were
the last Dichotomy on earth.
She dismissed the ever-present annoyance with a sigh and focused on the coming benefit. Her mother had established the
Serenity Foundation, building the organization from an obscure children’s charity into a philanthropic giant. Control of the foundation
had fallen to Bella with her mother’s death three years before.
She scrolled down the checklist in her PDA, verifying that preparations for the Harvest Gala were on schedule. Her mother
had taught her well. Bella never left anything to chance and had contingencies in place for every conceivable complication.
Except a rogue vampire…
A violent chill skittered down her spine. She set the PDA aside and crossed to the French doors leading to the second floor
balcony. A mild breeze caressed her cheek and rippled through her unbound hair. The main house was set at an angle to the Pacific
Coast Highway, offering ocean views from two sides. Her bedroom, however, faced the immaculately landscaped backyard. Though
she couldn’t see the endless waves, she could smell their fresh tang and feel their humid effect on the wind.
She leaned her forearms against the sculpted railing and tried to relax. Smoldering eyes and sharp fangs had disturbed her
dreams, leaving her restless and fatigued. Even after a leisurely breakfast, she’d felt a little off. She couldn’t explain the anxiety, but
something wasn’t right.
Her gaze searched the shadowy trees that hugged the perimeter fence. Was Steffen out there, watching the house, scanning for
signs of danger? And should she be comforted or upset by the possibility?
Just the thought of the handsome Sentinel set her in motion again. She stalked to the end of the balcony before returning to her
bedroom. His image lingered in her memory and he’d insinuated himself into her dreams. Underlying the danger there had been an
erotic edge, teasing and stimulating in ways she didn’t want to remember.
She’d never responded to a lover so easily, real or imagined. Had the sensations been accurate representations of -- It didn’t
matter! She had no intention of having sex with a man she hardly knew. Besides, he hadn’t been flaunting his sexual prowess; he’d
been demonstrating her helplessness.
You need to decide if the Serenity Foundation is worth your life.
Another chill raced down her spine and she stopped in the middle of the room. It didn’t take Dichotomy abilities to know
when she was being watched. “Show yourself.”
She was nearly certain she knew who was spying on her, but she always erred on the side of caution. Hurrying into her
bedroom, she opened the small drawer in her nightstand and reached for the gun her father insisted she keep nearby.
“Bullets won’t stop a vampire.” Steffen’s deep voice sounded an instant before he solidified. “The pain will just piss him
off.”
Leaving the gun in the nightstand, she closed the drawer and turned around. “I didn’t have a wooden stake handy. Why the
hell are you spying on me?”
“You made your resentment obvious yesterday. I’d hoped a little subtlety would make you more comfortable.”
“Does my father know you’re here?” She waved away his answer. “Of course he does. Was invisibility his idea?” Despite
the amusement shimmering in his gaze, he let her draw her own conclusions. “Sunset is still a couple of hours away. Shouldn’t I be
safe until then?”
“Vampires are allergic to ultraviolet light, but contrary to horror films, they don’t burst into flames. The real challenge is
their solar trance. They don’t fall asleep like we do. They’re overtaken by a state of unconsciousness far more like a coma than sleep.
Most emerge from this trance around sunset. Still, it can vary by an hour or two. You must stop taking your safety for granted.”
A wave of awareness tingled through her, drawing her attention to the neatly made bed. What would it feel like to stretch out
on the wide mattress with Steffen arched over her, pressing against her, thrusting into her?
He was lecturing her on safety and she was fantasizing about having sex with him. This was ridiculous!
She forced away the tantalizing possibilities and eased past his tall form. He’d spoken of vampires in the abstract again.
“Then you’re not a vampire?”
“Why are you fixated on my ancestry?” He followed her into the sitting room.
“Why won’t you answer the question?”
“My father was a genetically engineered human. My mother is a sylph.” A sexy smile bowed his lips, revealing a hint of
even white teeth. “Now you know all my secrets.”
“I think I could spend a lifetime questioning you and never know all your secrets.”
“I suspect you’re right.”
His easy manner made her bold. “Who engineered your father’s genetics and what was accomplished by the manipulation?”
“Now you’re being rude.” He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his gaze, but a hint of his smile remained.
He was too damned charming for her peace of mind. If she let her guard down, he’d control every aspect of her life. His
unreasonable list of expectations was proof enough of that.
He’s just trying to protect you. Now her inner voice was turning on her. This was a very bad sign. She took a deep breath
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and focused on her current complaint. “I’ve still got a long way to go before my behavior is as rude as yours. How long have you
been spying on me? When did you return to the estate?”
“I never left.”
His casual revelation made her gasp. She’d been so turned on after his mind trick in her father’s office she’d locked herself
in her private suite. Several hours of tedious work had done nothing to ease the ache between her thighs, so she’d summoned
Geoffrey, her private trainer. Under his watchful eye, she’d embarked on a two hour workout that left her drenched in sweat and
trembling with fatigue.
“Care to tell me what has you so wound up?” Geoffrey had asked as she emerged from the shower. “You haven’t pushed
yourself like that in months.” He frequently ended their sessions with a full body massage and she desperately needed to relax.
“There was another threat against Father and he decided to hire additional security.” He helped her onto the massage table
then discretely turned his head. She tossed her damp towel aside and arranged herself on her stomach beneath the crisp white
sheeting.
Geoffrey knew there was something unusual about the Ruiz family, but he was paid well not to ask too many questions.
“With the gala coming up, it’s probably a wise precaution.” He lowered the light drape to her waist and went to work on her back.
“I’ve always had a bodyguard. That’s not the problem. This guy is an overbearing ass.”
His strong hands paused on her shoulders. “Are you talking about that gorgeous blond who was here this afternoon?”
She looked back at him and glared. “His physical appearance is not the issue. He wants to keep me under lock and key until
they catch this lunatic.”
The massage resumed, but she detected amusement in Geoffrey’s voice. “If the danger is real, you’d probably better do what
he says.”
She turned over, holding the drape against her naked breasts. To his credit his gaze remained on her face. “Did Father recruit
you too?”
His blue eyes met her gaze without hesitation. “This is the first I’ve heard about the threat, but I’ve never been one to take
needless chances.” She and Geoffrey had been lovers for a few months shortly after he’d accepted the live-in position at the Ruiz
estate. He was good-natured and handsome in the carefree, surfer boy fashion so common in southern California. “Are you sure the
threat is what’s upsetting you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He chuckled and eased her back on the table. “I saw him, Bella. And I know you well enough to --”
“Yes, he’s gorgeous. Yes, I’m attracted to him. But that doesn’t change the situation. He is half a step away from canceling
the gala and I can’t let that happen.”
“Then work with him, not against him. Your father will do anything to keep you safe, even if it pisses you off.”
“Tell me about it.”
He folded back the drape and lifted her leg, deftly working the tense muscles in her calf. As his hands moved higher, she
shifted restlessly, unwanted images flickering through her mind.
Geoffrey chuckled, drawing her anxious gaze back to his handsome face. “Sweetheart, you are still so wound up. I don’t
think all the massaging in the world will relax you.” He hesitated a moment then lowered her heel to the table.
“I guess I’ll go swim laps.” She sighed.
“That’s not what I meant. I think a good, hard orgasm is the only thing that’s going to settle you down.”
“Geoffrey!” Mortification heated her skin from her chest to her hairline.
“Obviously I wouldn’t make this suggestion to any other client, but our relationship isn’t ordinary.”
“I’m not going to fuck you just so I’ll --”
“That’s not what I was suggesting either. Lynn would kill me if I fucked you, but I’m pretty sure she’d forgive me if I gave
you a more… thorough massage than usual.”
“I can take care of it myself. You and Lynn seem really happy. I don’t want to screw things up for you.”
“Lynn trusts me, and we both know it feels a lot better when someone else triggers an orgasm.”
He made it sound so sensible, almost clinical. He rubbed her naked body all the time. This wouldn’t be that much different.
“Lie back and raise your arms above your head.” His expression was calm, his gaze compassionate. “Grab the top of the
table and close your eyes.”
Her fingers clutched the padding as he lifted the sheet, exposing her lower body. He’d seen her pussy before. He’d gone
down on her and fucked her for God’s sake. Still, this felt undeniably naughty.
“Think about him,” Geoffrey whispered. “Relax and imagine him touching you.”
He warmed her favorite body oil. She could smell the familiar scent and hear the subtle sound as he lightly rubbed his hands
together. Then he stroked up and down her thighs, sliding easily on her oil slicked flesh. Warm and sure, his fingers touched her skin
and applied pressure to her muscles. She knew it was Geoffrey, but her mind was all too willing to play the game.
She imagined Steffen standing beside the table, his dark gaze fixated on her sex. Her knees were lifted and her thighs parted.
He’d be able to see her flushed folds and the evidence of her smoldering passion.
Gentle fingers traced her crease and she shivered. Geoffrey was right. It felt so much better when someone else got her off.
She’d been wet and aching for hours. This should take about three seconds.
He pushed two fingers into her core, working her with a slow, smooth motion. His thumb brushed over her clit and she
gasped. Her inner muscles pulsed with tension and heat suffused her abdomen.
Despite the building pleasure, the image blurred and changed. Geoffrey had his hand between her thighs and Steffen stood
back from the table, brawny arms folded over his chest. A sardonic smile curved his lips and amusement sparkled in his gaze.
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If you want me to touch you, hellion, all you have to do is ask.
The sound of his deep voice shattered her ravaged composure. She came fast and hard, her core tightly squeezing Geoffrey’s
fingers.
She’d found the incident confusing at the time, but indignation boiled within her now. “You’ve been at the estate all this time
or you’ve been…” She couldn’t complete the thought. Had he watched Geoffrey finger fuck her? Or worse, had it been his presence
and not her imagination that finally triggered her orgasm?
“I can’t protect you unless I’m with you.” His tone was completely unapologetic.
“You can protect me just as well from the corridor as you can from my bedroom! This nonsense stops right now. You will
not enter my suite without permission and you will not follow me into any of the bathrooms. You will respect my privacy as often as
possible. Do you understand?”
“You’ve made yourself quite clear.”
Salvaging as much of her dignity as she could, she nodded. “Good. Then go downstairs or lurk in the hallway, if you must.
I’ve got work to do.”
* * *
Hunger erupted within Val’s pain-clouded mind. Her abdomen cramped and her fangs ached so badly she could barely --
fangs? She ran her tongue over one sharp protrusion and images inundated her mind.
She’d sprawled against Payne’s wide chest, impaled on his cock as he worked with Taerok to end her mortal life. Blood,
metallic and sweet -- she could still remember the taste and the heat as it flowed across her tongue and coated the inside of her
cheeks. Taerok had fed her first, offering only enough of life’s essence to restart her heart.
Payne hadn’t been more generous, but her savage demand had startled and excited him. He’d bent her over the bed and
fucked her ass roughly, while she gorged from his wrist. Their mutual pleasure changed the taste of his blood, leaving them both
breathless and sated.
At least temporarily.
Val sat up and blinked into the darkness. Moments after Payne pulled out of her trembling body, she’d been overtaken by an
oppressive weakness. The sensation had been so similar to death that she’d fought it with all her might, screaming in terror and
thrashing wildly on the floor beside the bed.
Her hands flew to the metal collar encircling her throat. She was on the bed now, naked and alone. A faint rustling disturbed
the silence and she started.
“Hello?” Fear jolted through her, speeding her pulse and reigniting the sting in her fangs. She was famished. Her entire body
felt empty, painfully hollow. The branching candelabra in the far corner of the room erupted with dancing flames. “Taerok?”
Glistening mist swirled under the door and curled in an ever increasing spiral. “He’ll return in a bit,” Payne told her as he
materialized within the vapor.
“Do you ever just open a door?”
“I don’t have the key.” He was naked and massively erect. “Taerok thought you might be hungry when you emerged from
your solar trance.”
“Good call. I’m starving.”
“He said no blood until he returns, but you can have all the cum you want.”
“What?” She glanced at his cock then glared into his mocking eyes. “How will sucking you off help me?”
“The taste of my blood changed each time you came. If we’re willing to fuck over and over, vampires can live on sexual
energy.”
His arrogance intensified her resentment. His magnificent body might appeal to her lust, but she found little appealing in his
personality. “I’ll wait until Taerok returns.” She drew her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees.
“If you’re shaking with hunger when Taerok arrives, he’ll punish us both.” He stood beside the bed, tall and commanding. If
it hadn’t been for the cruelty in his eyes she would have welcomed his advances. “Lie down on your back with your head here.” He
motioned to the space in front of him. “Your body belongs to Taerok now. You better get used to it.”
Desire throbbed between her thighs adding to the discomfort of her hunger. How long had she been unconscious? It was
impossible to gauge the passage of time in this featureless room. “Will you at least get me off while I do you?” She despised the
weakness her question revealed, but her need was too great for pride.
“Perhaps.” When she didn’t move fast enough, he yanked her toward him and pushed her into position. “Spread out your
arms and bend your knees. You do not have permission to touch me.”
Left with no choice but surrender, she opened her thighs and clasped the bedding to keep from grabbing him or touching
herself. His heated gaze swept the length of her body before he angled his cock toward her mouth.
“Lick it. Make me nice and wet so I can slide right into your throat.”
The harsh directive made her shiver, but her body responded anyway. She’d always liked it rough. Apparently her
transformation had amplified that tendency. She swirled her tongue around and around, trailing spit until he was good and slick.
If only he’d touch her, this would be thrilling. Her gaze caressed his muscular legs and admired the heavy fall of his scrotum.
He’d removed his pubic hair and she wanted to explore his sex at her leisure, touching while she tasted.
“Now suck me. Keep those lips nice and tight.” She drew on the very tip of his cock, poking her tongue into the tiny slit,
while she sucked with firm pressure. He tasted faintly salty and sharp, obviously excited by her efforts. He twisted her nipples,
making her moan without loosening her grip. “Good girl.” With his fingers still tightly grasping her nipple, he slapped the underside
of her breast. The pain made her shudder, but she kept right on sucking.
Heat blossomed in her breast. Her nipples pulsed, protesting his harsh treatment, yet her lust was nearly as demanding as her
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hunger. She could smell her own arousal and feel her cream trickle into the crack between her ass cheeks.
Lick me. Please lick my pussy. She wasn’t sure he could hear her mental cry, but she had to try something. Her passage
clenched painfully and her clit throbbed.
You have much to learn, little fledgling. Find pleasure within the pain or concentrate entirely on pleasuring me.
He spanked her other breast as his hips fell into a steady rhythm. Her fingers clawed the bedding and new, surreal sensations
rippled through the pain. His thick shaft slid against her tongue, bumping the back of her throat at the apex of each stroke. Her nipples
burned and heat surrounded her breasts, sinking deep into her chest.
His fingers drifted across her tense abdomen and pushed her thighs wider. “Is this what you want?” He traced her slit with
one fingertip, dragging a whimper from her throat. “Fuck, you’re wet. Maybe I’ll flip you over and finish in your ass.”
Would that ease her hunger? She sucked harder, arching her neck and taking him deeper. He laughed.
“Don’t like that idea?” He spread her swollen nether lips, exposing her heated core to the cool air. “Your clit looks like it’s
ready to explode. Just a lick or two would set you off.”
She was all too aware of her desperate need. He was mocking her, forcing her to focus on the burning desire. She relaxed
her throat and took him deeper, intentionally triggering her gag reflex. The sudden tightening made him gasp, so she did it again.
“Now do that little trick with your tongue,” he whispered urgently. “I’m almost there.” Her tongue swirled around his tip as
he drew out, then relaxed for his inward drive. He groaned and squeezed her breasts, his head thrown back as he neared climax.
With a muffled curse, he pulled out of her throat and came in her mouth. She quickly swallowed again and again, milking his
cock, desperate for every soothing drop. Lust receded gradually, allowing her to think. He hadn’t lied. His cum eased her hunger as
well as her desire.
She heard the door open and sharply turned her head. Payne’s cock popped free of her mouth and he stepped back from the
bed.
“Master,” they said in unison.
Taerok dragged a young man into the room and pushed him to his knees. The man was blindfolded and gagged with his hands
bound in front of him. “I brought you a present,” Taerok told Val with an icy smile. “Do you recognize him?”
Her gaze widened as she looked more closely at the newcomer. “His name is Robert Adler. His father is on the elder
council.”
“Correct. Though both his parents are Dichotomies, Robert is unable to transform. I want you to feed on him exclusively for
the next few nights. Keep him alive as long as you can. The stability inherent in his physiology should strengthen your control over
Emily.”
Robert struck out blindly with his bound hands, turning his head this way and that. Val studied him silently for a moment,
ignoring the pity threatening her composure. This is what she’d wanted, what she’d died to attain. She wasn’t a Dichotomy any longer.
She was something entirely new. Never again would she be a victim or an outcast. Her life began today.
She ignored the pathetic noises Robert produced behind the gag. “How do I make him obey me, sir? Payne left me with an
intolerable ache.”
Approval lit Taerok’s eyes as he heard her question. Can you hear my thoughts more clearly now than you could before
your transformation?
Much more so.
A mental compulsion is little more than a whisper. Ease into his mind and tell him what you want him to do or feel. If you
desire a specific action, form the image within your mind then send it to his. Start with something simple. Say his name and see if
he responds.
She turned toward Robert, lust scorching through her pity. He had toured the facility where she’d been held as a child,
gawking at her and the other inhabitants as if they were animals. She still remembered the arrogant disdain in his cold eyes. There had
been no compassion in him.
Robert.
He lifted his head, turning his face one way and then the other.
Robert, come to me. Crawl across the floor toward the sound of my voice.
Much to her delight, he awkwardly obeyed, crawling forward until his head bumped against the foot of the bed.
You’re a natural, Taerok praised. ow try an image rather than words. Show him what you want him to do and how badly
you need for him to do it.
She arranged herself on the bed before she began, propping pillows behind her back and spreading her legs. She didn’t care
that Taerok and Payne were watching the scene intently. The need thrumming through her body silenced the last echo of her
conscience.
Pausing for a deep breath, she pictured Robert on his stomach between her thighs, his face pressed against her sodden pussy.
She imagined his tongue stroking her swollen folds and circling her tender clit. She infused the image with desire and a selfless
determination to please.
She pushed the compulsion into Robert’s mind and heard him gasp then groan. After a brief hesitation, he crawled onto the
bed and gently lifted her legs to his shoulders. She shot Payne a triumphant glance as Robert nuzzled her sex.
Give me your wrist.
He obediently raised his arm and she pressed her lips to the vulnerable pulse point. His tongue traced a path from her clit to
her anus then reversed direction. He circled her little nub twice before gently sucking it between his lips. It felt wonderful. Everything
felt so damn good!
Power sizzled through her veins, hot and intoxicating. Robert was hers to command. She could make him lick her pussy for
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hours, bring her to peak after peak, before she finally granted him release.
It didn’t take you long to adjust to your new life.
Even Payne’s mocking observation didn’t deter from the glory of her awakening. She savored the thorough ministrations of
Robert’s tongue, while his heartbeat thrummed against her lips. Then she opened her mouth and sank her fangs into his wrist. He
yelped and tugged against her hold, his resistance interrupting the pleasant rhythm of his mouth.
Don’t stop! Fuck me with your tongue. o, fuck me with your fingers and suck on my clit.
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Chapter Four
“You might as well join me,” Bella tossed the suggestion over her shoulder without turning around. “I can feel you staring at
me.”
Steffen indulged in a quick smile, knowing the little spitfire couldn’t see him. “It’s hard to ensure your safety if I don’t keep
an eye on you,” he reminded her.
Bella wasn’t the type of woman who intentionally drew attention to herself, so why did he find her so captivating? Ever
since she’d stalked into her father’s office, all feisty challenge and defiance, he’d burned to taste her lips and touch her silken skin.
And creating the vivid illusion had only whetted his appetite for reality.
He wasn’t the only one feeling this attraction either. Bella had driven her body to the brink of exhaustion and still she ached
for him. Watching her trainer touch her had been nearly more than Steffen could take. The only thing that prevented him from
materializing and beating the human to a bloody pulp had been the fact that she was imagining him while the other man’s fingers slid
in and out of her pussy.
Shaking away the unwanted memory, he focused on the present. She’d pulled the front of her dark hair back and secured it
with a large barrette. Her clothing was casual: jeans and a clingy sweater. She sat alone on the wide veranda enjoying a late dinner.
Cresting waves shimmered in the moonlight and the occasional call of seagulls added to the tranquil setting.
“Well?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Are you just going to stand there?”
“I’ve already eaten, but I’d enjoy a glass of wine.” She waved toward the chair facing her and turned her attention back to
what remained of her meal.
Intrigued by the invitation, Steffen slipped into the chair. He swept her face with a quick, assessing glance before gazing off
into the distance. Her features appeared delicate and refined, even with minimal makeup. Her bottom lip was fuller than the top, the
contrast adorable. Surrounded by thick sable lashes, her bright green eyes were by far her best feature.
One of the household staff appeared with a wineglass. The Dichotomy were telepathic, but her dossier hadn’t indicated
whether Bella had inherited her father’s abilities or not. Had she summoned the servant or had his comment been overheard? The
servant poured him a glass of wine and retreated without saying a word.
“Do you expect such deference from your servants or does he just not like you?” He hadn’t felt free to tease her with her
father watching every move, but loneliness surrounded her like an oppressive cloud. If the past few days had been any indication,
Bella spent far too much time alone.
“My father demands the utmost professionalism from his staff.” She set down her fork and met his gaze. “I have no opinion
on the practice one way or the other.”
“Why not? Isn’t this house yours as much as his?”
“Hardly.” She pushed her plate aside and picked up her wineglass. “I might have my own suite of rooms, but this is
undeniably my father’s domain.”
“Why do you stay?” It was necessary for him to understand her mindset if he were to do his job effectively, he tried to
rationalize. Still, part of him admitted he just wanted to know more about her.
“I moved out for a couple of years after I graduated from collage, but Father prefers to be actively involved in my life
regardless of where I reside.” The resentment in her tone was unmistakable.
“What do you prefer?”
“My preferences are seldom taken into consideration, so I’ve learned to choose my battles carefully. If I don’t contradict him
too often, he’s more likely to compromise when I do.”
“That seems sensible.” And yet it didn’t quite fit. Steffen sensed pride and courage in Bella. She didn’t seem the type to
intentionally take the path of least resistance. “Why did you move back in?”
“My mother’s illness motivated my return and now the foundation keeps me too busy to worry about anything else.”
“Like a social life?”
Her chin shot up and spirit sparkled in her eyes. “You’re being paid to protect me, not cast judgment on my life.” Clearly she
had no trouble standing up to him.
“I wasn’t judging you.” He’d been more interested in her reaction than her answer. Despite her insinuations, she was no
spiritless waif. “I was working my way around to a question. Do you have an escort for this party you’re throwing?”
“It’s not a social occasion for me; it’s business. I’m the hostess and emcee.”
“I understand that, but would anyone think it odd if you attended with an escort?”
“There’s no reason for role playing. I’m frequently accompanied by security personnel.”
Role playing with Bella would be interesting to say the least. How hard would it be to unleash the passion smoldering
beneath her calm façade? He saw sparks, hints of her true nature, and he definitely wanted to experience the full scope of her… What
was wrong with him? He wasn’t here to seduce her. He’d been charged with her safekeeping!
He cleared his throat and dismissed the inappropriate tangent. “I don’t want anyone to realize I’m guarding you. If Taerok
thinks I’m your date, he’ll underestimate the obstacle.”
“Won’t he recognize you? I was under the impression you two knew each other.”
“I know of him, but to my knowledge we’ve never met.”
“To your knowledge?” Her brows arched dramatically. “That’s not very comforting.”
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“I’ve seen images of him. It’s possible he’s seen images of me, but we’ve never interacted face to face.”
“Does he have a reason to have seen images of you?”
Steffen sighed. He hadn’t wanted to get into this. She already knew all she really needed to know. “My supervisor has been
after Taerok for years. Every time Max gets close, Taerok disappears for months, sometimes years at a time.”
“Why is Max after Taerok?”
“That’s a long, involved story and I only know bits and pieces of it.” He took a long sip of wine before adding, “Suffice it to
say Taerok is a very bad man.”
“Could you be any more condescending?” She scooted back her chair, preparing to stand.
“I didn’t mean to patronize you.” He reached across the table and touched her forearm. Awareness arced between them,
suffusing his body with unwanted heat. He had to get control of his reactions. She was his assignment, not his reward. “Taerok has a
rap sheet that goes back centuries. He’s been trying to gain control over his solar trance longer than we’ve been alive. We’re pretty
sure he intends to use Dichotomy blood to move closer to that goal, but we have no idea why he thinks it will work.”
“Was that so hard?” The tension melted from her forearm and she offered him a tentative smile. “That was as close to a
complete explanation as you’ve given me so far.”
“I’m used to interacting with people who are completely unaware of my abilities. I look human, so they presume that’s all I
am. Evasiveness becomes second nature after awhile.”
“What about the other Sentinels? Don’t they have paranormal abilities?”
“We train together and often work the same case from different angles, but most of my time is spent with ordinary humans.”
“Ordinary is hard to define even in humans.” Her smile became playful and the heat churning within him sank straight to his
groin. “Your father is human, isn’t he?”
“My father died before I was born. I was raised by my mother.”
“And you said she’s a sylph. Isn’t that some sort of faerie?”
He returned her smile, trying to distract himself from the desire building within him. “Sylphs are more closely related to
elemental elves than faeries. Our branch of the Otherworldly tree is older and more secretive than the common fae. Little is known
about sylphs because they want it that way.”
“They not we?” Bella murmured, mesmerized by Steffen’s smile. “You don’t consider yourself a sylph?” She’d realized he
could be charming when he put his mind to it, but something far more dangerous fueled this smile. He wanted her. This was the first
time she’d seen overt desire burning in his eyes.
“I’m technically a sylphite, a semi-profane term for mixed race offspring.”
“Are all interspecies unions discouraged or just those with humans?” She wasn’t sure why she cared. His background was
irrelevant to their situation. He’d been faultlessly polite, discrete, and professional. Which was what she wanted, wasn’t it?
“That depends on the sylph.”
His fingertips absently played across her skin, sending tingles up her arm. She wasn’t even sure he realized he was touching
her. Still, it was all she could do not to close her eyes and sigh.
“The ultimate goal of every sylph is to transcend physical reality. That’s why they’re often linked with the element of air.
Some believe any tie to the corporeal realm slows down their ascension, so they focus entirely on achieving their goal.”
“Is transcendence your ultimate goal?”
“No. I’m not capable of the transition.” He slowly withdrew his hand and reached for his wineglass. She fought the urge to
guide his fingers back to her skin so he could continue the soft exploration. “That’s why they don’t consider me truly sylph.”
“It’s not all that different for a Dichotomy. The offspring of a mixed mating is called a halfling. Some consider halflings
tainted, but most judge us according to our abilities.” Which still left her on the outside looking in. She had no abilities, so most of the
Dichotomy elite considered her irrelevant.
Had he noticed the wistfulness in her tone? They had more in common than she’d guessed. They were both outcasts,
straddling two societies without being fully accepted by either one.
If she’d gained even some of her father’s abilities her life would have been less complicated. As it was, the elder council
had to approve her mate, and she hadn’t agreed with anyone they’d proposed so far.
He brushed his knuckles against the side of her face and smiled into her eyes. “Where’d you go just then? You were a
million miles away?”
“It’s been a long day.” She knew it was a lame excuse, but she wasn’t sure why she’d instigated the conversation. “I’ve been
doing my best to rearrange the agenda so all the important events are completed by sundown.”
“A wise precaution. When is the benefit scheduled to start?”
“It opens with a champagne brunch at eleven-thirty. The silent auction will accept bids until two. Only the big ticket items
will be included in the live auction.”
“And how many items is that?”
“Nine, so it shouldn’t take too long. The actual program starts at three. I’d planned to announce the winners of each item in
the silent auction, but the names could be posted instead of announced. That would shave at least an hour off the program length.” She
sighed, mentally balancing her safety with the integrity of the event. “I’ve scheduled a live band, but I could claim to have a migraine
or something. As long as the structured program is finished, I can conceivably delegate the rest.”
“Max has already assigned two additional teams to the party.”
“Teams? I wondered about that. Why don’t you have a partner? Military types seldom work alone.”
“I don’t play well with others.” He tried to soften the growl in his tone with a quick smile, but she didn’t buy the
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explanation.
“Have you always worked alone?”
“Is the gala at a hotel or some sort of event center?” His cold expression warned her away from the previous subject.
“Hotel.” She reluctantly let it go. His past wasn’t any more her concern than her social life was his. Regardless of the
attraction sizzling between them, she was his responsibility, nothing more. “I’ve worked with this hotel before. Their in-house
security isn’t bad, but I always augment it with my own people.”
“And we’ll backup your people.” He set aside his empty wineglass and pushed to his feet. “I’d still rather you stay home, but
we’re getting closer to an acceptable level of control.”
“Control is important to you, isn’t it?” She hadn’t meant the question to sound quite so flirtatious, but her raging libido was
making it hard to think about anything other than touching him and being touched by him.
He grabbed the edge of the table and leaned in close. “Let’s get through this gala without incident and I’ll demonstrate the
answer to that question in intimate detail.”
“It’s a date,” she whispered.
His gaze focused on her mouth and her lips tingled as if he’d brushed her with his fingertips. Was it her imagination or had
he created the sensation? She thought he’d say more. Instead, he shook his head with a distant smile and walked back into the house.
It’s a date? Had she lost her mind?
Feeling like an absolute fool, Bella hurried down the veranda and knocked on the French doors leading into her father’s
office. He glanced up from his videoconference and motioned her inside. She loitered near the doorway until he ended the call, then
took her usual place in front of his desk.
“Tell me everything you know about Steffen Ziegler.”
His lips parted in a rare smile. “Has he pissed you off or turned you on?”
“Father!”
He folded his hands behind his head and stretched his back before he answered. “Mr. Ziegler comes to us highly
recommended by the Preternatural Sentinel Network. Their standards are far more stringent than any set by human or Dichotomy.
Most races we know wouldn’t survive their basic training. I’ve never worked with them before, but other members of the council
have to more than satisfactory resolutions.”
“If he didn’t have an exemplary reputation, he wouldn’t be here. Now tell me what your personal investigators found out.
You wouldn’t allow anyone to stay in this house without checking them out yourself.”
“You know me too well.” He relaxed in his chair, a smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. “Our guest has one brother,
also a Sentinel. Steffen isn’t, nor has he ever been, married, and the only scandal associated with him surrounds the death of his
partner two years ago. What else do you want to know?”
She should wait until Steffen was comfortable enough to tell her about the scandal. With a frustrated sigh, she accepted her
own impatience. “What happened to his partner?”
“He was killed in the line of duty. Steffen was exonerated of any wrong doing, but the investigation left a bad taste in a lot of
people’s mouths. He’s refused to work with a partner ever since.”
She’d suspected it was something like this. “Were people upset because the incident was investigated or by Steffen’s
exoneration?”
“A bit of both, I would imagine.” His gaze bore into hers for a moment then he asked, “Has he done something specific that
concerns you? Your instincts have always been reliable.”
“It’s hard to explain. I don’t mistrust him, exactly. He just unnerves me.” He unnerved her, and aroused her, and fascinated
her. “What are his abilities?”
“The Sentinels refuse to list them. They ‘send the agent most qualified for each individual situation’ and that’s all they’ll
say.”
“I know he can dematerialize. I’ve seen him do it.” She decided not to mention the little mind trick he’d used on her the night
they met. “I guess the rest doesn’t matter. He’s respected the boundaries I outlined and I’m being --”
“What boundaries? He’s not supposed to leave your side for any reason per my orders.”
“Really?” She scooted to the edge of her chair. “Is he supposed to shower with me and sleep at the foot of my bed?”
“Basically.” He waved her toward the door with a dismissive gesture. “Your modesty is an acceptable sacrifice if he keeps
you safe.”
“I’m glad you think so.” She started across the office unsure if she was angrier with her father or her bodyguard.
“He has Dichotomy DNA. Did he tell you that?”
His casual words brought her up short. “Should that mean something to me?” Not trusting her expression, she didn’t turn
around.
“I just thought you might like to know in case it was attraction rather than annoyance that inspired these questions.”
She slowly turned to face him. “The council is determined that I ‘revitalize’ our line by mating with a pureblood. Steffen is
more of a mutt than I am.”
“I’m not sure he’d welcome that characterization.” She had no idea how to interpret her father’s lopsided smile. “If you’re
intrigued, I’ll run some simulations.”
Part of her wanted to tell the council to fuck themselves and disregard their guidance, but the more logical part understood
what they were trying to accomplish. Dichotomy abilities were vanishing at an alarming rate, and the Ruiz line had always been
extremely powerful -- until Bella’s generation. The Dichotomy community couldn’t afford for Ruiz gifts to be lost entirely.
She reined in her rebellion and admitted, “I’m intrigued. Please, run the simulations.”
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The simulations of what? Steffen’s essence followed Bella out of her father’s office, unsure if he should be flattered or
insulted. It shouldn’t surprise him that Hector had checked out his past. If the situation were reversed, Steffen would have done the
same. Bella’s curiosity, however, was disconcerting. Did she doubt his ability to do his job, or was the source of her interest
personal?
He hadn’t taken her flirtatious banter on the veranda seriously until she marched into her father’s office and demanded to
know more about him. Her hips swayed as she walked, her jeans showcasing the delectable curve of her ass. There was only one
reason his DNA would matter to her. Physiological compatibility. His genetics were irrelevant if all she wanted to do was fuck. She
was thinking beyond a casual tumble.
Damn. He’d accepted his physical desire for her. He was looking forward to exploring their attraction as soon as Taerok
was apprehended. Now it was obvious she would expect a whole lot more than mutual satisfaction. Was he interested in an emotional
connection? It had been a long time since he even considered that sort of involvement. Life as a Sentinel didn’t leave room for much
else.
She reached her bedroom and he flowed through the door as she closed it behind her. Pausing beside the dresser, she looked
around the room. Pouring energy into his shields, he meticulously blocked her subtle probing. She obviously suspected he’d
disregarded her wishes, yet she didn’t speak. She opened one of the drawers and retrieved an oversized nightshirt.
He followed her as far as the bathroom then formed a metaphysical link with her consciousness. This allowed him to access
her senses without completely disregarding her need for privacy. If she happened to look at herself in the mirror while she was naked,
he couldn’t help it. Right?
Amusement rippled through his being. Her safety was his number one concern, but at least he was attempting to respect her
wishes.
She returned a few minutes later with her face scrubbed clean of makeup and her hair loose about her shoulders. He allowed
himself one slow, assessing sweep from her head to her toes, before he fixed his attention on her face.
Sitting on the side of the bed, she squeezed lotion into the palm of her hand and bent to rub the creamy substance into her
legs. This was new. He watched her hands slide up and down her calves and across her knees. She had fabulous legs, long, lightly
tanned, and sleekly muscled.
She nudged the hem of her nightshirt up as she massaged her thighs. Desire sizzled, urging him to materialize. Did she
suspect he was watching her? Was that the reason for the change in her routine? She set the lotion aside and turned down the bed. The
nightshirt rode up, offering him a teasing glimpse of her bare bottom.
Holy fuck! Had she always slept without panties? The need to manifest swirled through him, demanding and painful. He
wanted to cup those softly rounded cheeks while he pushed his cock into her pussy. He could almost feel her grasping him, milking
him as they shared their first real climax.
She turned off the lamp and slipped under the sheet. Moonlight spilled in through the window across from the bed. He tried
to relax and regain control over his instincts. It was his imagination. She was going to sleep as she’d done every night since he
arrived.
With casual movements, she pulled open the nightstand’s drawer and retrieved something from inside the small
compartment. Her gun had been in the other nightstand. Surely, she wasn’t going to…
He couldn’t see what she had in her hand, but her position left little doubt about her intentions. She lay on her back with her
knees slightly bent. Moonlight revealed her lovely face, while the details of her body were obscured by shadows and the sheet.
Her hands moved beneath the bedding. She arched and twisted, drawing his attention to her breasts. This was a show; there
was no doubt about it. She was punishing him for intruding.
The sheet slipped, baring her legs as one of her hands slid between her thighs. He couldn’t actually see what she was doing,
but that didn’t detract from the sensual beauty of the display. She tugged up her nightshirt, revealing her breasts and he could stand no
more.
“Are you having fun?” he whispered as he materialized on the bed beside her.
She gasped, haphazardly trying to pull down the nightshirt. “You asked for it and you know it.” Her whisper was harsh and
breathless.
He kicked the sheet to the floor and dragged her hands above her head. She put up enough of a struggle to appease her pride,
but he could smell her arousal.
“What do we have here?” He found the vibrator on the bed near her hip and brought it up where she could see it.
“Lie down on your stomach and I’ll show you what it’s used for.” She glared through the darkness, but her pointy little
nipples were visible even in the dimness.
“Interesting offer. I think we’ll start with something a little less exotic.”
“You agreed not to invade my privacy.”
“No. You stated your expectations. I never agreed to adhere to them.”
She stared at him for a long, silent moment, then she said, “We’ve each made our point. Now get off my bed.”
He brushed his mouth against hers, teasing her with the featherlight caress. “Is that really what you want?”
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Chapter Five
Bella stared into Steffen’s dark eyes and tried to remember all the reasons she was not going to fuck him. Her display had
been meant to provoke him, to show him how unfair it was to invade her privacy.
He shifted her wrists into one hand and cupped the side of her face with the other. “I think we both know this is going to
happen. The only question is when.”
“That is so arrogant!”
He laughed. “It’s not the first time I’ve led you to that conclusion. You told your masseuse I was an overbearing ass.”
Her mouth gaped then she snapped it closed. She’d had little doubt he’d witnessed the incident, but to hear him say it out
loud left her oscillating between anger and lust. “Can you read my mind or do you just float around like some freakish ghost?”
“When I intentionally scan your mind, I can sense basic emotions. I don’t know if you consider that mind-reading or not.
You’ve reacted to thoughts I’ve sent you, but you’ve never responded telepathically. Have you chosen to ignore me or are you unable
to access the link?”
“I’m only half Dichotomy,” she muttered, stung by his careless question. “There are a lot of things I can’t do.”
His expression softened, but his hold remained secure. “Why did your father want you to know I have Dichotomy DNA?”
She narrowed her gaze and raised her chin. “Don’t look so indignant. Your father knew I was there. Why did he bring it up in front of
me?”
“It’s complicated.” She was basically naked and firmly in his grasp. Why was he so damned interested in conversation?
“Do we need to postpone this until after he runs the simulations?” He didn’t sound at all pleased by the possibility.
“Even if we happen to be compatible, which is doubtful, you can’t get me pregnant unless we’re soul bonded.” Of course
pregnancy was only one concern when strangers had sex for the first time. “I’m immune to all known STDs, so…”
“Fucking you isn’t a problem?”
“That has yet to be seen, now hasn’t it?”
“If you’re not ready to admit you want me” -- his sexy smile flashed in the moonlight --”I’m willing to convince you.”
Excitement jolted her already reeling mind. Patience was a laudable quality, but she was anxious to taste his mouth and feel
his strong body pressing over and into hers. The illusion had been amazing, in a darkly erotic way. She couldn’t help wondering if
reality would compare.
“You’re not giving me a choice?” she whispered, carefully concealing her dreamy smile.
His expression tensed. “I never go where I’m not wanted. Are you going to try and convince me you don’t want this?”
She wasn’t that much of a hypocrite. Her entire body thrummed with desire. “You know I want you, but won’t giving in to
this distract you from your responsibilities?”
“I think it will be more of a distraction if we don’t give in to this.”
His mouth settled over hers and Bella parted her lips, greeting his tongue with a tentative stroke from hers. He tasted faintly
of wine and a dark, smoky flavor she couldn’t quite define. All hard muscles and warm skin, he pressed against her side. His long
fingers still clasped her wrist, making her feel unbearably eager.
The unmistakable hum of her vibrator disturbed the stillness. How the hell had he rotated the base with one hand? She tried
to separate their mouths, but he followed her halfhearted evasion. Instead of touching the toy to her sex as she’d expected, he brought
the tip to one of her nipples. The vibration made her gasp and shiver. Sensations spiraled through her chest and kept right on going,
churning up heat and liquid expectation as they descended through her body.
He circled one nipple and then the other; all the while his tongue ravaged her mouth, stroking and exploring with bold
hunger. She’d always gotten right down to business with the toy, bringing herself to a fast, shallow climax so she could fall asleep. He
trailed it across her belly, sliding it slowly from hip to hip. Her muscles quivered as tension gathered, becoming more insistent.
She dragged her mouth away from his and gasped in a ragged breath. “You’re driving me crazy.”
A throaty chuckle was his only reply. Her legs parted of their own volition, giving him plenty of room to navigate. Ignoring
her obvious want, he drew the vibrator along the inside of one thigh and circled her kneecap.
This was retaliation, she realized. She’d teased him mercilessly and now it was her turn to squirm. He moved the toy up the
inside of her other thigh, touching her everywhere but where she really needed to be touched.
His lips pressed against her temple and an illusion formed within her mind. Silken cords wrapped around her wrists, curling
and twisting like mystic snakes. Once her wrists were secured, the enchanted cords fastened themselves to the headboard. He moved
his hand to her shoulder and she tugged against the mental restraints, not surprised to find her physical body imprisoned by the vivid
image.
With both hands free now, he rapidly escalated her arousal. He teased her beaded nipples, rolling and tugging until she
moaned in frustration and pleasure. Her breasts felt heavy, yet all the smoldering heat congregated in her feminine core.
He finally moved between her legs and she trembled, the empty ache nearly unbearable. She canted her hips, brazenly
drawing his attention to her pussy. He traced her damp crease with his fingers, then the cursed vibrator. Why in the world had she
ever taken the stupid thing out of its hiding place?
“Does that feel good?” The predatory gleam in his eyes told her he knew how desperately she wanted the teasing to end.
“It will feel a lot better when you let me come.”
“I’m sure it will, but I’m not ready yet.”
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“When will you be ready?” She might have started this game, but he was obviously more experienced. Her senses were
attuned to his every move, obediently following his commands.
“You’ll know.”
He eased two fingers into her core and she moaned. If he’d thrust inside it might have been enough to send her over the edge,
but he’d introduced the slight penetration with cruel care. Then he drew the vibrator up one side of her sex and down the other,
caressing her swollen folds, while avoiding her clit.
“Grip my fingers, hellion. The tighter you squeeze, the bigger they’ll feel.” She squeezed as hard as she could, her hips
arching off the bed. Her desperation made him smile. “Very good. Now do it again. And again.”
“Give me something bigger to squeeze.” She panted. “I’m tired of teasing.”
“You started the teasing.” He withdrew his fingers and paused to lick her cream off his skin. “I just decided to make it more
enjoyable.”
He held her open with his fingers and excitement surged anew. Finally! He would push inside her and -- he slowly inserted
the vibrator and she went wild. “I meant your cock, you asshole! Stop playing with me!” Her abdomen clenched with pre-orgasmic
spasms, but the peak stayed just out of reach.
He left the toy gently buzzing inside her pussy, while he turned his attention back to her breasts. As if her nipples weren’t
hard enough, he suckled and licked until each crest stood tightly puckered and deeply flushed.
His warm hands never stopped moving. Up and down her sides, across her hips and along her thighs, he touched, squeezed,
and caressed her.
“I hate you,” she whispered. No matter how hard she squeezed or how much she wiggled, she couldn’t trigger an orgasm.
He kissed his way down to her bellybutton then looked into her eyes. “Ask me nicely.” The tip of his tongue circled her
navel.
At least he hadn’t told her to beg. “Please, let me come. I’m sorry I called you an asshole.”
He parted her folds with one hand and gripped the vibrator with the other. She closed her eyes, waiting for the burst of
sensation, the end to this sensual misery. He drew the toy out of her pussy and pressed his lips against her clit. Better, but trepidation
held her suspended between pleasure and pain. She refused to surrender more than she’d already given.
His tongue stroked over her clit, the touch much too gentle. Sensations swelled and receded, matching his careful strokes. He
rotated the tip of the vibrator inside her cunt, accenting her body’s demand and gathering cream.
She figured out his intention a split second before the toy pushed against her anus. His lips closed around her clit, sucking on
the sensitive nub with careful insistency. She arched against his mouth as much to avoid the probing toy as to finally find release.
The vibrator breached her back passage and the elusive climax burst. Her inner muscles rippled, pushing the pleasure higher
with each rhythmic wave. His lips eased and his clever tongue prolonged the blissful ride. She shuddered and moaned, savoring each
hard-won tingle.
Thrilled by her uninhibited response to his attention, Steffen lifted Bella’s feet to his shoulders and rotated her knees farther
out. Her pussy was flushed and shiny. He couldn’t resist touching her creamy folds one last time before angling his cock toward her
opening.
The toy was still buried in her ass, the handle peeking out between her rounded cheeks. He rubbed against her clit then
slowly pushed into her passage. Snug, slick and unbelievably hot, her body closed around him. He gritted his teeth against the
overwhelming pleasure, half afraid he’d come before he even started moving.
She rolled her hips and the vibrator pressed against his balls. He gasped and shivered. “God, that feels good.”
“Me or the toy?” Her dreamy smile indicated the quality of her recent orgasm.
“Both together.” Unable to resist any longer, he pulled back and thrust hard, filling her with one forceful drive.
“Careful,” she yelped. “That toy’s deep enough already.”
With measured strokes, he moved inside her. The teasing buzz against his balls combined with the firm grip of her pussy,
challenging his control. Her back arched and her breasts quivered.
He rolled his shoulders, shifting her knees to the bend of his elbows as his rhythm increased. Her arms extended above her
head, secured by the illusion. She hadn’t objected to the restraint, seemed to enjoy it.
His dominant nature surged, frustrated by the shallow thrusts. He pulled out and flipped her over, pulling her up to her hands
and knees. With an impatient hiss, he withdrew the toy and thrust into her cunt.
Her inner muscles gripped him tightly as a spontaneous climax burst. She liked being handled, was aroused by his
aggression. Unwilling to ignore the signs, he grasped the back of her neck and pushed her shoulders down, arranging her in a starkly
submissive position. He held her in place with the weight of his body and the deep penetration of his cock.
With one hand he cupped her breast, savoring the weighty feel of her warm flesh. His other hand eased between her thighs
and found her clit, rubbing the puffy nub then carefully rolling it between his fingers. She shuddered, her inner muscles contracting
with aftershocks.
His balls drew up tight and his shaft pulsed with demanding need. He pulled back, nearly out of her clinging heat, then
rammed his full length back inside her. Two slow rotations were all he could endure before his control snapped entirely.
He grasped her hips with both hands and fucked her fast and hard. She pushed up into each thrust. Their mutual cries blended
with the rhythmic slap of flesh against flesh. He wanted it to go on forever, to build and soar until they were consumed by the flames.
His head dropped back on his shoulders and his fingers dug into her hips. Molten sensations burst from his balls and shot
down the length of his cock. He bit back a scream as his seed jetted deep inside her. She clawed at the bedding, her orgasm milking
him in distinct spasms.
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For a long moment he held his weight off her, struggling to catch his breath. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t do this, had
honestly meant to wait until the danger passed before he pursued her.
“Feeling guilty already?” Her whispered question held a hint of amusement.
“I don’t regret fucking you, but as you pointed out earlier, the timing could have been better.” He wrapped his arms around
her and rolled them to their sides.
With a firm yank, she broke free of his mental restraint and rubbed her wrists. “Is that ability a gift from your mother? How
many species contributed to your genetic makeup?”
“If you’re not sleepy, let’s take a shower.” He gently separated their bodies and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
She followed him into the bathroom then took the lead, setting out towels and turning on the water. “Do you sleep or can you
absorb energy while you’re non-corporeal?”
“Both.” He motioned to the waiting spray. “I know you don’t transform, but do you still have two personalities?”
“Non-transforming halflings are almost always blended. The two personalities become different characteristics, like in the
human psyche. There have been a few who have two distinct personalities yet retain the same form. Some believe people who
develop multiple personality disorders have a Dichotomy somewhere in their ancestry.”
He guided her beneath the spray then wrapped his arms around her, so they could both enjoy the warm cascade. “My father
was born in a laboratory. The interspecies project that created him, and others like him, was destroyed. Actually, he organized a riot
and freed as many of the inhabitants as he could before he detonated charges all over the complex.”
“Interspecies, as in a cooperation between human and non-human scientists?”
“That’s right.” Needing a distraction from her warm curves pressed so snugly against him, Steffen reached for a bottle of
shampoo.
“I had no idea anything like that had ever been done. Humans are suspicious of anyone they can’t control.”
He turned her away from the spray and began to lather her wet hair. “According to my father, the project started out with
good intentions, but ambition gradually transformed their vision, and outside influences warped what they had originally set out to
accomplish.”
“A common cycle that’s been repeated all through history,” she said wistfully. She tilted her head back and rinsed the
shampoo from her hair. “Tell me about your father.”
Steffen went to work on his own hair while he explained, “His genome combined human, Dichotomy, and vampire DNA.”
“I knew you were part vampire!” She took the soap and worked up a lather before stroking his chest with her slippery hands.
“That’s why you can manipulate thoughts.”
“Not necessarily.” He enjoyed her casual touch, while the shower saturated his sudsy hair. “Certain Dichotomy have similar
abilities.”
“True. But this is why you were selected for this case.”
“Yes, but I thought we were talking about my father.”
“Sorry.” Setting the soap aside, she wrapped her arms around him and continued the tantalizing caress with her breasts. “Go
on. What happened to him after he escaped?”
With her warm body subtly rubbing against him, he could hardly maintain a coherent thought. “The debris flew farther than
he anticipated. He was knocked unconscious and would have bled to death if it hadn’t been for my mother.”
Bella stepped back and met his gaze, compassion clear in her beautiful eyes. “She’s a healer?”
“Most of the sylph are able to heal.” Their playfulness was postponed by the bittersweet memories. “Still, she had to treat
him in secret. Sylph law forbade her from getting involved.”
“He must have survived long enough to create you.”
Angling the shower head, he rinsed the soap from their skin. “He never fully recovered. Mother did everything she could, but
the damage was too extensive. He regained his strength for a time. Long enough to create me, as you so aptly put it. Then infection set
in and he died before I was born.”
“Then you never knew him.”
He refused to let the past encroach on the future. Life was uncertain enough without expending energy on things that couldn’t
be changed. “I know my father through the eyes of those who loved him. He was respected and admired by many.”
“Did your mother ever love again?” She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, handing him one of the towels.
“She has always been a bit of a rebel. When the people in her village shunned me, she married a dark elf.” He chuckled,
rubbing the towel across his chest. “The sylph find dark elves nearly as objectionable as vampires.”
“Was your brother born of this dark elf?”
“Yes. Lukas is considered a sylphite just like me.” He smiled. “Well maybe not just like me.”
“Do you know what happened to the others like your father?” She wrapped the towel around her body and tucked the end
between her breasts.
“They were organized into a paramilitary network by my father’s best friend, Max.”
“The Sentinels?”
“The organization is called the Preternatural Sentinel Network or PSN. The operatives are called Sentinels.”
“I see.” Her gaze heated as she watched him finish drying off. “How long have you worked for Max?”
“Twenty-three years.”
She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “How old are you?”
“A hell of a lot older than I look.” He smiled. “How young are you?”
“I’m considered an adult even by the Dichotomy.”
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“Good” -- he unwound her towel and used the ends to pull her toward him --”because I’ve just begun to corrupt you!”
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Chapter Six
Payne was jarred from his solar trance by a shrill scream. Blinking away the mental haze, he ordered his reluctant muscles
into action. He stumbled out of bed, rushed down the hall, and threw open the door to the bedroom he had once shared with his
master.
Expecting Valerie, he was brought up short by the sight awaiting him. A woman huddled on the floor beside the bed, her
slender fingers clawing at the collar securely fastened around her neck.
“Where am I?” Her voice broke and tears glistened in her baby blue eyes. “Why am I chained?”
Taerok had explained that the Dichotomy could transform, but Payne hadn’t realized the change would be so complete. This
woman bore little resemblance to Valerie. Her features were more refined, her hair several shades lighter.
“You must be Emily.” He took a step into the room and she cowered against the wall.
Her hand trembled as she pointed toward the bed. “Is he… dead?”
Payne had been so captivated by the transformation he hadn’t noticed the twisted, ash white body on the far side of the
mattress. Taerok had instructed Valerie to keep her victim alive as long as possible. Payne skirted the bed and examined the young
man. His throat had been savaged and bite marks perforated his arms and legs.
“She responded so well to the awakening,” Taerok muttered as he swept into the room. “I expected better than this.”
“I know you.” Emily wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked back and forth, eyes wide and wild with rising hysteria.
“I’ve seen you in Valerie’s dreams. Why can’t I sense her? What’s wrong with me?”
Taerok ignored her. “This wasn’t what I had planned, but the result will be the same. Dump his body where it’s sure to be
found.”
“Why did she transform?” Payne kept his gaze focused on Taerok. The terrified woman was silent for the moment. It was
better if she remained that way.
“Valerie obviously gorged herself after we left. Such indulgence will often extend the solar trance.” He glared at the woman
and shook his head. “I thought she was stronger than this.”
Do you still believe the Dichotomy will enable you to control your solar trance? Awakening Valerie wasn’t as successful
as you first thought. If Payne could convince Taerok to destroy the female, perhaps things would return to normal. She had been
entertaining for a night or two, but he was ready to have Taerok to himself again.
The Dichotomy are the key. Taerok sounded impatient and his gaze was focused on the woman.
Why are you so certain?
It has been done before. I am recreating a recipe. As soon as I discover the correct balance of ingredients, I will be free.
I will be free, not we will be free. Payne sighed. Every time he forgot he was a slave, Taerok drove the point home with
careless brutality.
The master vampire stalked toward Emily. “Open your mouth.”
“Why? What do you want with me?”
Grabbing her hair, Taerok viciously jerked her head back. She cried out and he caught her chin with his other hand, holding
her mouth open and inhaling her breath. “She is unchanged,” he mused.
“How is that possible?”
Taerok shot him a sidelong glare. “I told you, they are extraordinary. There has never been another race like the Dichotomy.
Get rid of the body. I want to see how long it takes Valerie to regain control.”
* * *
Bella pushed Steffen’s hand away from her breast for the third time. “Let me finish these phone calls and then we can play.”
“Finish the phone calls. I’m not stopping you.”
Mischief gleamed in his eyes, launching sparks of desire all through her traitorous body. “Twenty minutes,” she tried again.
“Just give me twenty minutes and we’ll spend the rest of the day in bed.”
“We’ve already done the bed, twice. I’ve always been a fan of variety.”
It was hopeless. He had no intention of leaving her alone. Bracing herself for a sensual onslaught, she activated the call.
Instead of slipping his hand back inside her blouse, he rolled her chair back from the desk and spun her around. Oh no! She could
ignore some light petting, but…
Before she could abandon the call, a female voice said, “Malibu Marriot, may I help you?”
“I need to speak with Deborah Mansfield.” She shoved against his shoulder, but he just grinned and reached under the
flowing skirt of her summer dress.
“One moment, please.”
“This is not funny!” Despite her wiggling, he grasped the sides of her panties and dragged them to her knees. This is what
he’d done in the illusion, restricted her movement, while allowing him access to her sensitive clit. He pulled her bottom to the edge of
the chair and pushed her skirt to her waist.
“This is Ms. Mansfield.”
He bent to her lap and exhaled slowly, teasing her with the warmth of his breath.
“Hi, Deborah, this is Bella Ruiz.” Keeping her voice steady had never taken so much concentration.
“Two days and counting?”
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“That doesn’t seem possible.” Bella dug her fingers into the arm of the chair and closed her eyes. His mouth hovered over
her sex like a hawk ready to devour. “Did you get the fax I sent yesterday? I don’t think the new agenda affects any of your
preparations, but I wanted to keep you in the loop.”
“I looked it over and didn’t see any complications. Everything is ready on this end.”
“Great.” He slipped his tongue into her crease and a soft moan escaped her throat.
“Are you all right?”
Bella swallowed hard. “Yeah. I’m breaking in a new pair of shoes and my feet aren’t happy about it.”
Deborah chuckled. “I know how that goes.”
“Well, I won’t keep you. I’ll see you Saturday morning.”
She tossed the phone to the desktop, abandoning any pretense of working. His fingers squeezed her bottom and his tongue
curled around her clit, using a motion he’d quickly learned drove her crazy.
Already sensitized from his earlier attention, her nipples beaded against her bra. She felt boneless and hot, amazed by her
body’s instantaneous response to his touch. It had never been like this before. Everything he did just felt right.
Her core melted, preparing for the blissful fullness of his cock. She grasped the arms of the chair with both hands now and
arched against his lips. He took her right to the edge then raised his head and kissed her mouth. The taste of her burgeoning passion
only compounded the need he’d left smoldering between her thighs.
“Do you have lube?” he whispered.
A chill raced down her spine then heat erupted in its place. He had used anal play to heighten her arousal, but he’d never
actually taken her like that. “Why?”
He nipped her bottom lip. “I’m not that much bigger than your vibrator.”
She laughed. “Like hell you’re not.”
“If you’re not ready to trust me” -- he paused for a passionate kiss --”I’m willing to convince you.”
It was a familiar game. He’d “convinced” her to try several things she never expected to enjoy. “I trust you.” Conviction
filled the simple statement, surprising her as much as it pleased him. She did trust him. She trusted him with her pleasure and she
trusted him with her life.
“Good. Then get the lube.” He stepped back and pulled her panties all the way off. “But the dress stays here. I want to watch
you walk across the room and back, knowing you’re about to take it up the ass.”
Lust shot straight to her pussy, making her whimper. Graphic descriptions were one of the things she’d never suspected
would turn her on. He loved saying things that made her blush and encouraged her to describe what she wanted in explicit detail.
“Is the door locked?” She pushed to her feet and reached back to unzip her dress.
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care who sees us fucking and neither should you.” She started to turn her head, but he caught her
chin. “I said no.”
His commanding tone never failed to thrill her. She was strong and independent, so why did she respond so readily to his
aggression? Because he pleasures you with such intense emotion there is no reason to resist.
“Take off the dress.”
She lowered the zipper and let the wide straps slide off her shoulders. The bodice sagged, revealing the upper curve of her
breasts. His gaze moved boldly, impatiently. She let anticipation build like he had done so many times before.
Desire shaped his expression and burned in his gaze. “More.”
With a flirtatious smile, she turned around and pulled her arms free of the straps. She allowed the material to ride low on her
hips, displaying a hint of bottom cleavage. Then she paused again.
“Do you really want to start a battle of wills? I’m pretty sure my self-control is stronger than yours.” He’d proven the fact
often enough. She released the dress and it pooled around her ankles. “Get rid of the bra then let me look at you.”
She kicked the dress aside and unfastened her final garment. Outward appearance had never been important to her. She’d
always felt intelligence and ambition were more important than looks. But Steffen made her feel beautiful, desirable and… his. The
possessiveness didn’t frighten her, however. She felt the same way about him.
His gaze moved over her naked body, making her restless and hot. “Now get the lube, but take your time. I want to enjoy the
view.”
As she entered the bedroom, for just a moment, she passed out of sight. She pressed her hand over her thundering heart and
scrambled for composure. He always made her feel utterly vulnerable yet empowered at the same time. It was a heady combination.
When she returned to the outer room, she found him sitting in her desk chair stark naked. His legs were spread, drawing her
attention to his erection. Long, thick, and heavily veined, his cock made her mouth water. But he didn’t intend to put it in her mouth!
Her steps faltered and she dragged her gaze back to his face.
“If you’ve never done this before, why did you buy a lubricant?” There was no mockery in his tone, just honest curiosity.
“There have been times… I haven’t always gotten wet as easily as I do with you.” She handed him the lube, unsure what else
to do with it.
His smile turned downright wolfish. “According to the simulations your father ran, we’re not just genetically acceptable to
each other, we’re highly compatible.”
She wasn’t surprised by the finding. Her body had told her as much the first time he touched her. “And does that please
you?”
He tossed the lube to the desktop then pulled her between his knees. “If the simulations are right, we’ve likely triggered a
soul bond already.” He ran his index finger from the base of her throat to her navel. Tingles trailed in the wake of his light touch.
Her heart fluttered and she slowly licked her lips. “All we have to do is stop and the bond will dissolve.”
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“I don’t want to stop.” His hand continued its descent, lightly cupping her mound. “I want to touch you, and eat you, and fuck
you, until you forget every other man who has ever come near you.”
There was that possessiveness again. Didn’t he realize how she felt about him? “Steffen, there’s no competition. My body is
so attuned to yours, I can’t think of anything else.” She rolled her hips, rubbing her pussy against his fingers. “And I’m not easily
distracted.”
He drew her hand to his face and kissed the center of her palm. “This might be easier on you if we slow it down. We can get
a --”
“I want this. I’m not sure why, but I need it. I trust you to make it good for both of us.”
Her statement punched into Steffen’s chest. The predator in him demanded he accept her offer without further delay, while
the possibility of her feeling anything less than ecstasy left him cold.
His mate. The other half of his soul. He’d known her instinctively the moment they touched. It had just taken his mind a bit
longer to accept the inevitable connection.
He stood and rolled the chair out of the way. “We’ll still take it nice and slow.” Framing her face with his hands, he kissed
her tenderly. His lips slid against hers, his tongue exploring with patient strokes. She returned the kiss, while her hands rubbed up and
down his back. He needed to hold her down and forcefully stake his claim on her willing body. Yet he needed to kiss her just as
desperately. How could he need savagery and gentleness at the same time?
Her fingers curved around his shaft, pumping him slowly until his knees went weak. He caught her wrist and shook his head.
“I can’t take that right now.”
She tilted her head and smiled. “I thought your self-control was stronger than mine.”
Nudging her thighs apart, he found her clit and gently rolled the ultra-sensitive bud. “Let’s find out.” He released her wrist
and her firm strokes resumed. He thrust his middle finger into her core and circled her clit with his thumb, his gaze boring into hers.
His balls tensed and precum beaded on the tip of his cock. It felt so good to touch and be touched by her. She took the
moisture and spread it over his flesh while her cream coated his fingers. The scent of arousal cocooned them in a private paradise.
Determined to emerge the victor, he removed his finger from her passage and concentrated on her clit. Her motion slowed and her
eyes drifted shut.
She wiggled and moaned as he drove her beyond endurance. He felt her come beneath his fingertips, hard, rhythmic spasms
of release. Before she regained composure, he turned her toward the desk and urged her down across the smooth surface. He guided
her hands to the far side of the desktop and curved her fingers over the edge.
“Open your legs, hellion. Make room for me.” Her thighs tensed then she obeyed, moving her feet farther apart. He stroked
her back and caressed her bottom, fascinated by the silken texture of her skin.
He knelt behind her and inhaled her scent. Holding her cheeks apart, he licked her from clit to anus over and over. Her taste
was addictive and he pushed his tongue directly into her cunt. She cried out softly, her inner muscles constricting, urging him on. So
hot, so giving, so perfect for all his needs.
Desire raged through him and he surged to his feet, burying his cock to the hilt inside her feminine passage. She moaned,
pinned beneath him by the weight of his body. He paused, surrounded with her softness and absorbing her heat.
For a long moment he couldn’t move, could think of nothing but the pleasure of being inside her. With just a few fast thrusts
he could push them both over the edge, but his dark nature balked, demanding more, demanding complete surrender.
He pushed off the desk, separating their upper bodies, while remaining inside her pussy. The lube rested within easy reach.
If he gave in to his possessive urges he’d never let her go. A smile curved his lips. Who was he kidding? He’d passed the point of no
return the first time he’d kissed her.
Flipping open the cap, he squeezed some of the lube into the palm of his hand, then set the tube aside. He scooped a generous
glob off his hand and prepared her body for his entry. She shivered and wiggled as his fingers slid in and out of her back passage,
firmly stretching with each careful stroke.
He eased her away from the desk, so he could reach her clit from the front. She remained pliant and relaxed, willing and
ready. Warmed by her trust, he reined in his hunger and focused on her pleasure.
“If you don’t do this soon, I’m going to lose my mind.”
The urgency in her tone snapped the last thread of his control. He slid out of her pussy and pressed his cock against her other
opening. She held perfectly still. He circled her clit several times then drove slowly inward.
Bella couldn’t breathe. She felt suspended, out of time and lost to reality. Her body stretched and stretched some more.
Pressure turned to pain, but his fingers blended pleasure with the sting until she didn’t know how to interpret the sensations.
Something inside her gave and he surged into her deeply. She gasped and shuddered.
Heat rushed up through her and her pussy tightened, inadvertently emphasizing the massive fullness lodged in her other
passage. He pulled back a tiny bit and smeared more lube along his shaft and around her anus. When he pushed in again, the sting
eased, leaving only overwhelming fullness.
His fingers returned to her clit, determined to shatter her sanity. She tossed her head and rolled her hips, pushing back onto
his cock in the process. “I think… I need… Just move already!” He pulled back and pleasure spiraled through her, raw and forbidden,
undeniably exciting. “God, yes. More!”
He needed no other encouragement. Holding her hips, he drew back slowly and drove in fast. Her breasts pressed against the
cool surface of the desk, accenting the fiery delight building in her abdomen.
Rising to the balls of her feet, she gave him a better angle, taking him deeper with each firm drive. She cried out, gripping
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the edge of the desk until her knuckles turned white.
He filled her body and swirled through her mind, the metaphysical connection every bit as astonishing as the tangible
joining.
Feel me. His deep voice manifested in her mind. See me. Know all of me.
She opened for him, offering herself as freely as he shared himself with her. His movements sped as their beings merged.
Colors danced before her eyes, surreal representations of the emotions washing over her.
Beautiful, she thought. It’s so beautiful.
We’re so beautiful, he corrected.
The sensual storm exploded driving them beyond thought. Pleasure poured through them and rushed over them in torrents of
shimmering bliss. He wrapped his arm around her hips and pressed his face into the side of her neck. She reached back and found his
other hand, entwining their fingers as the waves gradually receded.
“That was…” She couldn’t find words to express what they’d just experienced.
He didn’t even try. Kissing his way down her spine, he carefully separated their bodies and turned her to face him. His
mouth claimed hers in a long, lingering kiss. “That’s going to be pretty hard to top,” he whispered against her damp lips.
“We have the rest of our lives to try.” She regretted the words as soon as she said them. He hadn’t said he wanted to make
the bond permanent. He’d just wanted her to forget every lover that had come before him.
“How can you have doubts after what we just shared?” He interrupted her flash of insecurity. “We are soul mates, Bella.
There’s no point fighting what we both know to be true.”
Joy burst through her uncertainty, parting her lips in a blinding smile.
“That’s more like it.” He kissed the tip of her nose then pinched her bottom. “Now stop screwing around. You’ve got work
to do.”
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Chapter Seven
“The gala is canceled and that’s final,” Steffen snapped later that night.
“It’s not your decision to make,” Bella returned just as vehemently.
“The danger is no longer just a possibility,” Hector joined in. “Robert is dead. This is real.”
“What does this vampire want with us? The elder council only deals with the Dichotomy. How could we have wronged
him?”
“Don’t confuse Taerok with Valerie,” Steffen cautioned. “A common enemy might have brought them together, but their goals
are very different. Taerok knows for a fact that combining human, Dichotomy, and vampire physiology can create a being immune to
the solar trance.”
“What are you talking about? I thought he was helping Valerie avenge her family.”
“The details are classified,” Steffen told her. “We’ve been using his connection with Valerie as a cover as often as
possible.”
“He knows about the Sentinels?”
Steffen nodded, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “Taerok participated in the original project. It was his DNA, in part, that
created my father and Max.”
“But their genetics were engineered in a laboratory. Taerok is trying to… consume the right combination of blood. Surely he
sees the difference.”
They had congregated in the living room after Hector received the grisly news about Robert. Her father was the only one
composed enough to sit. Steffen and Bella were pacing the room with alternate patterns.
Steffen paused at her side, his gaze sharp and assertive. “All I know for certain is Taerok can be merciless.”
“Do you need to see these pictures again?” Her father held up a stack of photographs. “You’ve known Robert for years. The
council proposed him as a possible mate for you. How can you not be affected by this tragedy?”
“I’m not some callous bitch,” Bella objected. “Shall I show you pictures of all the children the Serenity Foundation helped
last year? I’m not planning a social excursion here. This is an important fundraiser. People are counting on me.”
The men fell silent and Bella took a moment to absorb the new information. There were still pieces to the puzzle that didn’t
fit. “If this isn’t about the council, why are you so certain he’s coming after me?”
“Max is busting his ass trying to find Taerok before he realizes he’s a step behind. Our only advantage so far has been
knowledge. We know more about the -- formula, for lack of a better word, than Taerok knows.”
“The genetic formula that created Max?”
“Yes. Vampires and humans have been blending their genetics in various combinations for centuries. Taerok knows it was
only when Dichotomy DNA was added to the mix that the results became impressive.”
“So what is he missing? What does Max know that Taerok has yet to figure out?”
Steffen seemed reluctant to explain the rest, so Hector spelled it out, “He needs a halfling. He must start with a person who
is already half human and half Dichotomy.”
Anxiety dropped into the pit of her stomach and she pressed her hand to the base of her throat. “Why me? There are halflings
peppered all over the world.”
“There have been very few halflings in the Ruiz family,” her father went on. “Taerok wants the very best, the strongest and
most powerful.”
“But I have no abilities. I can’t even send my thoughts.” Her link with Steffen had broadened her telepathic horizons, but this
wasn’t the time to introduce that particular tangent.
“Abilities frequently skip generations when we mate with humans. Your children will likely have powers stronger than
mine.”
“Only the oldest and most powerful families hold positions on the council,” Steffen said. “That’s why we believe Taerok
will ultimately target one of their halfling descendants.”
“Are the others being guarded as well? What about Rebecca and Melissa? Oh my God, what about Colette? Her abilities are
unbelievable.”
“Our agents are protecting everyone you mentioned and more,” Steffen assured her.
“How many of them are planning to attend the gala?” her father wanted to know.
She dreaded the answer, knowing it would give them more ammunition to use against her. Or would it? “It’s well known that
many council members have generously supported the foundation.”
“Which is why it’s too dangerous to hold the event,” her father concluded.
“I disagree. If we warn everyone away, make sure I’m the only halfling there, we leave Taerok no choice but to make his
move.”
Steffen’s gaze narrowed thoughtfully, but her father was having none of it. “You’d set yourself up as bait?”
“We’d create an opportunity the Sentinels would be able to control. We’d decrease the variables and --”
“Talk some sense into her,” Hector flared. “She stopped listening to me a long time ago.”
“She’ll be in danger until Taerok is destroyed,” Steffen muttered. “I don’t like using her as bait any more than you do, but it’s
not a bad plan.”
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“This is how you protect your assignments?” Hector sneered. “I’m not impressed.”
“Bella is more than my assignment and you know it. I can hide her away during this one event, but she’ll still be in danger.
Taerok must be stopped permanently before anyone else is hurt.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I don’t like it either, but we might never get another opportunity like this one again. Bella’s right. We can’t squander it.”
* * *
“You clean up pretty well,” Lukas said as he casually slipped into the chair beside Steffen.
Steffen glanced at his younger brother and smiled. The subdued light of the massive ballroom picked up the blue tones in his
ink black hair, which in turn made his sapphire eyes appear even brighter. “Right back at you.” Steffen couldn’t remember ever seeing
Lukas in a tuxedo before. Faded jeans and a black leather jacket were far more his style.
“There’s a spectacular sunset going on outside.” Which meant they were running out of time. “Where did your charming
companion disappear to?”
“I was just about to go find out.” Steffen pushed back his chair and stood. The structured portions of the gala had gone off
without a hitch. The band had just begun to play, encouraging the guests to dance.
He’d spotted Max earlier in the day, but Max had instructed him not to react to his presence. It was imperative Taerok not
connect him with any of the other Sentinels. Is everyone in place?
We’re waiting for the delectable bait.
As if responding to the comment, Bella entered the ballroom through a side door and strolled toward them. Her emerald
green dress skimmed her curves, showcasing her figure with elegant subtlety. Steffen’s breath hitched and his heart thudded
awkwardly for half a second before regaining its steady rhythm. Her exotic eyes picked up the color of her dress, appearing
impossibly green.
“Damn,” Lukas muttered under his breath. “She is easy on the eyes.”
“She is mine.” The emphasis explained everything Lukas needed to know.
She reached them and slipped her hand into the crook of Steffen’s arm. “Are you going to introduce me?”
“Of course. This is my brother Lukas. Lukas, meet Isabella Ruiz.”
Lukas held out his hand and Bella shook it. “I’m pleased you could make it. Have you enjoyed the party?”
“The food was wonderful and the band is great. What more could anyone ask?”
“I hope you express your appreciation with generosity.” She remained true to her role as she’d been instructed to do.
“Unfortunately, I missed the auction. I just arrived a few minutes ago.”
“It’s never too late for a donation,” she reminded with a pretty smile. “There are brochures on tables throughout the room.”
“I’ll make sure I grab one before I leave.” He raised her hand to his lips and brushed her knuckles with a light kiss. “It was
nice meeting you.”
Time to enact the final phase of their plan. “You look a little pale,” Steffen said as Lukas disappeared into the crowd. “Are
you feeling all right?”
“I’ve been running half a step ahead of a migraine all day. Unfortunately, I think I’m losing the race.”
“Can’t someone cover the rest of the party? You look pretty miserable.” She’d never looked more beautiful, but there was no
telling who might overhear their conversation with this many people milling about.
“I’ve already arranged it. Can you have the car brought around?”
“I think you better come with me. You look pretty unsteady.”
“All right.”
Bella’s steps lagged a bit as they left the ballroom. There had been no evidence of vampires at the party, but the sun was just
now going down. What if he doesn’t show?
He’ll show.
Shortly after the incident in her office, Bella realized Steffen could hear her thoughts. Her inability to communicate
telepathically had always made her feel inadequate. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to send her thoughts to anyone else, but it
comforted her to know their bond was strengthening.
Steffen had wanted to concentrate entirely on her protection, so he’d insisted they take a limo to the party. The hotel had a
side entrance with a circle drive designed for limos and taxies. Steffen called their driver and wrapped his arm around her waist as
they waited for the vehicle to arrive.
“Where is Max? I see no reason to negotiate with minions.”
The autocratic voice sent shivers down Bella’s spine. The air around her grew dense and cloying as evil polluted the
atmosphere. Steffen turned and stepped in front of her. They stood at a slight angle and she could see the intruder.
Neither tall nor brawny, the vampire managed to exude menace with nothing more than his presence. His hair was a common
shade of brown, tucked carelessly behind his ears. Though his eyes were the same unremarkable brown, the intensity in their depths
was chilling.
“Are you talking to me?” Steffen did a respectable job of sounding confused.
A slender woman stood beside the vampire. The calculation in her blue eyes belied her bored expression. Bella scanned her
mind and the woman’s gaze collided with hers. Though traces of her heritage remained this woman was no longer a Dichotomy.
Butt the hell out, little girl, or I’ll drain you dry. You’re in way over your head. As if she hadn’t just threatened Bella’s
life, the woman offered the vampire a charming smile. “Can we play with them before you kill them? They make such a pretty
couple.”
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Ignoring her entirely, the vampire moved toward Steffen. “Where is Max?”
A large space behind the couple blurred as if space itself disintegrated to make way for the Sentinel Commander. “I’ve
never known you to negotiate with anyone, Taerok, so don’t waste our time.” Tall, heavily muscled, and darkly dangerous, Max was
far more what Bella had expected than his nemesis. “Do you turn yourself in or do my men close ranks and bring you down?”
Taerok chuckled, pivoting so he could see Max without losing sight of Steffen. “Though it would be entertaining to watch
you try, you have no crime with which to charge me.”
Max’s dark eyes narrowed and tension rolled across his broad shoulders. “I’ve got the savaged body of a Dichotomy that
says otherwise.”
“Yes, poor Robert.” Taerok folded his fingers and inspected his immaculate nails. “That was unfortunate, but I had nothing
to do with his death.” Amusement bled from the woman’s expression an instant before Taerok grabbed her arm. “Valerie took a life
and as her sire she is my responsibility.” He shoved her toward Max as the ghost of a smile stole across his thin lips. “Do with her
what you will. I uphold the alliance.”
Valerie collided with Max as Taerok flashed out of sight.
“That lying bastard!” Valerie tugged against Max’s meaty fist, her features tense and pale. “He killed Robert, not me! You
can’t take his word for it.” Max snatched a metallic band off the back of his belt and snapped it against the side of her neck. The
semi-rigid collar coiled around her throat and she shrieked as if she’d been scalded. Kicking and twisting, she gasped and cursed.
“Settle down,” Max commanded. “It won’t hurt, if you stop fighting it.”
“It’s draining me,” she cried, clawing at the offensive band. “I can feel my strength melting away.”
“It will just ensure you behave.”
Three additional Sentinels materialized in the periphery. Two were armed to the teeth, while Lukas, like Max, wore a
tuxedo. Max pushed Valerie toward the nearest Sentinel. “Take her to headquarters. Have Olin interrogate her.”
Offering a stiff nod, the man grasped Valerie’s upper arm. The other fully armed Sentinel fell into formation on her other
side. He grasped her arm as well and the three faded from view.
“What the hell just happened?” Steffen asked.
“He got us to tip our hand,” Max muttered with a frustrated sigh.
“Do you believe him?” Bella asked. “Do you think Valerie killed Robert?”
“Probably, which means technically he’s right. I have no reason to apprehend him.”
“Yet,” Lukas drawled. “He’ll slip up. They always do.”
“And we just wait around until he makes a mistake?” Bella didn’t like the sound of that at all.
“If he’s smart, and he is, Taerok learned two things tonight.” Max held up his index finger. “One, his focus on pureblood
Dichotomies is misplaced.” His second finger joined the first. “Two, you’re not worth his time.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“I mean no disrespect.” Amusement revealed flashes of blue within the depths of Max’s dark eyes. “This is one situation
where your lack of paranormal abilities will work to your advantage. As soon as Taerok scanned you, he realized you don’t possess
two distinct natures. The similarity between a Dichotomy’s transition and a vampire’s solar trance are at the heart of his obsession.”
“He needs a halfling who can shift between their personalities at will.” Bella crossed her arms over her chest. There were
only a handful of people who met that criteria.
“It won’t take Taerok long to put the pieces together,” Max went on. “The trick is adequately protecting these people without
drawing his attention to them.”
“Decoys?” Lukas suggested.
“Perhaps. Or disguising their protection as something else entirely.” He shook his head, his expression tense and aggressive.
“Let’s head back. We’ll have to set things in motion tomorrow during his solar trance.”
“May I stay with Bella, sir?” Steffen clasped his hands behind his back, his features utterly expressionless. “Despite her
apparent worthlessness, I don’t think we should leave her unprotected.”
Max chuckled. “That wasn’t what I meant and you know it.” He looked at Bella and inclined his head. “Would you feel more
comfortable if Steffen tags along?”
“Yes, sir.” Beneath his gruff exterior he was almost likeable.
“Then we’ll find a way to muddle through without him.” He turned his sharp gaze on Steffen and squelched his smile. “You
are still on call.”
“Of course, sir.”
Max winked at Bella and flashed out of sight.
* * *
“You just gave her to them?” It wasn’t that Payne gave a damn about Valerie, but Taerok’s indifference shined a glaring light
on the precariousness of his own existence.
“She’d outlived her usefulness.” Taerok paced his favorite chamber, deep in the bowels of a crumbling ruin. “I suspect I’ve
been searching in the right vicinity, yet my focus is slightly off course.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I was born a vampire, so there is no humanity in me.”
Payne fought back a bitter laugh. That statement was true both literally and figuratively. “So how do you correct your
course?”
“I transform someone who is both Dichotomy and human.”
“I’ve been studying their history, master. Dichotomy blood doesn’t fare well once it’s been diluted. Most halflings lose their
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abilities.”
“Most but not all. Besides, I’m only interested in one ability, control. I need someone who has complete control over both
their day-dwelling and nocturnal natures.”
“Then you’ll begin your search again?”
Taerok’s smile revealed his cruelty. “Thanks to Max, I know just where to start.”
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Epilogue
Bella stared out the window of the limo with unseeing eyes. She’d survived the gala and the Serenity Foundation had funding
for the next fiscal quarter, so why did she feel disappointed?
Steffen lightly touched her knee, drawing her attention to his handsome face. “If you don’t stop brooding, I’m going to have to
take drastic measures.”
“I’m not brooding, exactly. I just can’t help feeling like we’ve only shifted the focus of Taerok’s ambition to another victim.”
“All of us would have liked nothing better than to punish Taerok for what we suspect he will do, but even Max is bound by
rules.” Steffen rested his arm on the back of the seat and angled his body toward her. “Until we can prove Taerok has taken blood
from an unwilling donor --”
“Vampires only feed from those who offer their blood willingly? You expect me to believe that? You showed me just how
easy it is for a vampire to make someone willing.”
“Vampires are predators. It’s against their nature to compromise on any level. The alliance creates a delicate balance. We
are allowed to hunt those who break the terms of the alliance so long as the ones abiding by the terms are left alone.”
“I can’t believe you’re defending them.”
“Have you forgotten I’m part vampire? The darkest part of my nature understands their cravings all too well.”
She’d sensed it in Steffen from the start, a wildness, a barely contained aggression. It was part of what attracted her to him.
“You’re right. I’m judging people I know little about.”
“I’m not Taerok and neither is Max, but if we abandon the rules, we are no better than the ones we hunt.”
“I understand, or at least I’m starting to.”
He hooked his pinkie through the thin strap of her dress and dragged it off her shoulder. “I believe we have a date tonight.”
“A date?”
His warm lips pressed against her shoulder before he explained, “I told you I would demonstrate my need for control in
intimate detail once the gala was over and you were safe.”
“I’m pretty sure I already experienced that demonstration in my office. Besides, we’re not that far from home.”
“Well, until I release him, the driver will continue up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, wondering why he can’t find
your turn off. Of course he’ll be far too embarrassed to admit his confusion, so it might take hours for us to reach the estate unless you
cooperate.”
The passionate gleam in his eyes assured her he meant every word. He’d held himself back, offering her glimpses of his true
nature. Now he had no reason to temper his aggression.
She licked her lips and savored the heat pooling between her thighs. “What do you want me to do?”
He looked around the spacious interior of the limo and grinned. “There are so many possibilities. Shall I lower the privacy
glass, so the driver can watch you suck my cock?”
She called his bluff with a beaming smile. “Whatever pleases you. I’m not ashamed of our desire.”
A low groan escaped his throat. “You little hellion.”
“I’m your little hellion,” she reminded him.
He stripped off his jacket and tossed it to the adjacent seat. “Slip off that dress and get over here.”
Pausing to kick off her shoes, she then pulled her dress over her head. She wore a strapless bra and matching thong. The
lace-topped stockings didn’t require a garter belt, so she didn’t bother taking them off.
She knelt on the floor between his legs and went to work on his pants. Her fingers pressed against the distinct ridge of his
erection far more often than was necessary to open his fly. He fisted his hands on the seat, but didn’t rush her.
“You don’t let me do this nearly enough.” She closed her fingers around his shaft and stroked him from base to tip. “Your
cock is amazing and you’re always so busy torturing me that I hardly ever get to play with it.”
“I’ll try and remedy that from now on.” He sounded breathless and hoarse.
Circling the flared head with her tongue, she enjoyed the earthy taste of his arousal. He felt hot and alive beneath her lips.
Even taking him as deeply as she dared, she couldn’t get his entire length inside her mouth.
“I’ll teach you how,” he whispered, effortlessly reading her thoughts, “but not tonight.” His hands touched her face and she
looked into his eyes. “Suck me, slow and hard.”
She drew on him over and over, swirling her tongue across his tip. Her fingers cupped his balls and squeezed his shaft,
needing to experience all of him. He rested his head against the back of the seat and surrendered to her ministrations. Feminine power
surged through her in a heated rush. She wanted to watch his features contort with ecstasy and feel him come deep in her throat.
“No more!” He grasped her under the arms and lifted her effortlessly.
“I want to take you all the way,” she protested.
“Not tonight. Remember, this is about me controlling you.”
She chuckled. “If you say so.”
He scooted off the seat and knelt behind her. She remained as she was, waiting for his next move. With a flick of his fingers,
he unfastened her bra and tossed it aside. Then he dragged her panties to her knees and urged her forward. She braced her forearms
against the seat and looked back at him.
“You are so damned beautiful,” he whispered. “I will never get tired of looking at you.”
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“I hope you intend to do more than look.”
“Always.” He cupped her breast with one hand and eased the other between her thighs, pushing into her pussy from behind.
His long fingers slid in and out of her core, stirring the heat and building the intensity. The gentle sway of the limo only added to the
wonder as her senses began to burn.
“Unbend your legs. I want to fuck you with my tongue.”
A violent shiver postponed her compliance and then she shifted position. Pushing to her feet while she bent from the waist,
she extended her legs and folded her arms on the seat. She wiggled out of her panties so he could spread her legs wide. He grasped
her thighs and pressed his lips against her feminine slit. His mouth moved against her as his tongue delved, teasing and seeking,
driving her wild. He found her clit and she gasped. Tingling sensations pulsed through her core and danced up her spine. His tongue
stroked over and curled around her swollen nub.
She turned her head and caught a glimpse of their reflection on the tinted windows. His face was flush with her sex, his
hands firmly clasping her thighs. Her body bent from the waist, abandoned to the pleasure of his kisses.
As if sensing her distraction, he thrust his tongue into her pussy. His face rocked against her, his tongue pushing as deeply as
he could reach.
He licked his way up to her anus and continued his bold exploration. She had accepted his fascination with anal pleasures
and she was rapidly becoming a fan. He circled the puckered opening and tingles crawled across her skin.
“Do you enjoy watching me do obscene things to your helpless body?”
The dark hunger in his voice was unmistakable and undeniably exciting. “You know I do.”
He rocked back on his heels and their gazes locked in the window. “Watch.” He pushed two fingers into her pussy then
turned his wrist and breached her ass with his little finger. The blazing hunger in his gaze ignited sensations deep inside of her. She
came hard and fast, rippling around his fingers.
While her body was still pulsing, he guided her back to her knees and pulled his hand out from between her thighs. He
positioned his cock and filled her cunt with one hard thrust. The momentum rocked her forward and jostled her breasts. She gasped
and locked her elbows.
Overwhelmed with dizzying sensations, she turned her face away from the window and concentrated on the tight, fast slide
of his body inside hers. He held her hips, anchoring her lower body as he commanded her response.
She surrendered the last barrier between them, accepting the full force of his being inside her mind. In a surreal blending of
real and empathic sensations, she felt his cock filling her aching cunt, yet she felt the hot grasp of her pussy around his shaft just as
clearly. His pleasure fueled hers and her excitement drove him harder.
They strained together, body slapping against body, grinding, clenching, and climbing. Reality paused. They floated in velvet
tranquility. Then the fire rushed up to meet them in an incendiary burst of pleasure.
He released his seed in scalding pulses, while her core hungrily milked his length. His middle finger found her clit,
prolonging each blissful spasm. They shuddered and groaned until she collapsed against the seat, breathless and muddled.
His hands moved up and down her back, skimming along the outer swell of her breasts. “I guess the rest can wait until we
get home.”
“The rest?” She laughed and looked back at him. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“Your death is the farthest thing from my mind.” With obvious reluctance, he separated their bodies and righted his pants.
“You can put the dress back on, but no underwear.”
“Whatever you say, sir.” She added the title with a playful smile.
She smoothed the dress back into place and set the rest in a neat bundle next to the door, so she wouldn’t forget it when they
got out of the limo.
Steffen pulled her onto his lap as she tried to climb over him and sit down. “Now we’re going to see how many more times I
can make you come, while the driver tries to figure out how he got halfway to Santa Barbara.”
“How will we ever top our ‘first date’?” She framed his face with her hands and smiled into his eyes.
“I’m sure we’ll think of something.” He laid her back across the seat and claimed her mouth in a lingering kiss.
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Aubrey Ross
Multi-award winning author Aubrey Ross writes an eclectic assortment of erotic fiction. From power struggles between
futuristic clans, to adventurous Mystic Keepers, her stories are filled with passion and imagination. Some of her recent awards
include an EPPIE finalist, two Passionate Plume finalists, and a CAPA Nomination from The Romance Studio.
With a pampered cat curled on the corner of her desk, Aubrey dreams of fascinating worlds and larger than life adventures --
and wouldn’t have it any other way! Visit her website at http://www.aubreyross.com. Join Aubrey’s News group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Anything-but-Ordinary/.
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