an hour, simply watching the slow rise and fall of her chest, almost afraid to stop
watching for fear it might stop.
Finally, he forced himself to get up and carry her to the living room where he laid
her gently on the sofa. Hurrying to the bathroom, he soaked a cloth in warm water and
returned to her side. She hadn't stirred. Taking his time, he began to clean the dried
blood from her face and neck. Over and over, he returned to the bathroom to rinse the
cloth, until all the blood was gone.
That done, he went back into the bedroom and stripped the sheets. It took him a
few minutes to find another set, but he finally discovered them in an armoire at the end
of the hallway. When he'd remade the bed, he returned to the living room and lifted
Sophia into his arms. She made a soft snuffling sound and snuggled close to his
warmth.
He carried her into bed and tucked her beneath the covers, sitting next to her until
she settled. Then he grabbed the blanket he'd found in the armoire and tucked it over
the curtain rod to add a layer of protection against the sun that would rise within the
hour. One final walk through the apartment assured him that everything was as it
should be. He latched all the locks on her door before joining her back in the bedroom.
Crawling into bed beside her, he eased her into his arms, loving the way she
instinctively turned toward him and rested her head on his chest. She draped one of her
arms over his stomach and a leg across his thighs, blanketing him with her body.
Contentment filled him and he found himself smiling for no reason as he closed his
eyes and drifted off to sleep. Sophia was his. Now and forever.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sophia came awake in a rush as her stomach threatened to spew its meager
contents. She gulped in air, rolling to her side, but it didn't help. A large male hand
gently rubbed the small of her back, but even that slight pressure was too much.
"I'm going to be sick," she gasped out as she threw back the covers. Zane grabbed
her, all but dragging her into the bathroom. Sweat broke out on her brow as she
concentrated on not tossing her cookies too soon. She scrambled out of his arms, falling
to the floor in front of the toilet. Then she got violently ill.
She was aware of Zane hovering behind her as her stomach cramped continuously,
forcing her to rid her body of God only knows what. She wasn't sure she wanted to
know. As if he'd heard her thoughts, he leaned close. "Your body has to rid itself of
human toxins."
She nodded, or she thought she did. Maybe she didn't. It was hard to concentrate in
her weakened state. She swayed against the porcelain and Zane knelt behind her so that
his chest was against her back. He wrapped his arms around her, encouraging her to
lean back against him in between times when she was sick. He wiped the sweat from
her face and neck and the cool cloth felt wonderful against her heated skin. She tilted
her head to one side, resting it on his shoulder as he drew the soft washcloth over her
brow.
"Sorry." This wasn't exactly the best way to start a...well, she wasn't quite sure
what to call what they had. They weren't exactly going steady, nor were they married.
What they had was more intense then either of those things.
Another wave of nausea rocked through her and she spent the next ten minutes
being sick again. She had no idea how much time passed as she was sick over and over
again. At one point, she thought she heard Zane on his cell phone, although when and
how he managed to get it, she had no idea. He was practically yelling at the person on
the other end, demanding to know how long she would be sick. He was probably
talking to his cousins.
She wanted to reassure him that she'd be all right, but she didn't have the strength.
Later. She'd reassure him later. When she finally felt she was through being sick, she
raised her head and managed one word. "Shower." She felt sticky and dirty and wanted
to feel clean.
She was lifted off the floor and he sat her on the small bathroom counter, propping
her against the wall. "Will you be all right while I get the water going?" She nodded
and then regretted it when her temples began to throb. She raised her hand to her
forehead and groaned.
He was back in a flash and since they were both already naked, he picked her up
but the pulse from the spray was almost more than her over-sensitized skin could bear.
She tried to bat the water away with her hands, whimpering as it continued to pummel
her flesh.
Zane swore and then shifted, taking the brunt of the spray on his back. Sophia
sighed and relaxed, content to just be in his arms. Her stomach muscles ached. In fact,
her entire body was one large ache. She felt as if someone had taken a baseball bat to
her.
She smelled her soap and then felt the light brushing of Zane's hands over her face,
neck and chest. He held her easily with one arm as he awkwardly washed her with the
other. "Let me stand up." She wanted to be totally clean.
He was hesitant, but did as she asked. "Let me know if it's too much for you," he
murmured as he helped her lean against the wall. When he was sure she was steady, he
quickly and efficiently washed and rinsed her, cupping water in his hands to trickle
over her soapy body. There was nothing even remotely sexual in his touch, but still her
body responded to him, tightening in some places and softening in others. What she did
feel flowing from him was love and caring and something even deeper. It was as if they
were now two halves of a whole, finally joined together.
The water stopped and, the next thing she knew, a large towel was wrapped
around her. "So tired." She tried to keep her eyes open, but it was next to impossible.
Her eyelids felt as if they had weights attached to them. All she wanted to do was sleep.
"I know, my love." She felt the deep rumble of his voice all the way to her toes. She
honestly decided that she would have to be dead not to want this man. Even as horrible
as she felt, she was still drawn to him in a way that defied definition.
The softness of her pillow met her face and she realized that he'd dried her body
and was putting her back to bed. He crawled in behind her, carefully lifting her so that
she was tucked into the protective curve of his large body.
Content, she snuggled closer. The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her
behind. Sophia was smiling when she drifted off to sleep.
The next time she woke, it was night again. She realized that she knew that without
even opening her eyes. It was if she was in tune with the night in a way she'd never
been before. Made sense when she thought about it. It was a handy skill for a vampire
to be able to tell how much time was left before the dawn without having to depend on
a watch.
Very carefully, she opened her eyes, blinking to help them adjust. It took her a
second to realize that she was seeing everything perfectly even though the lights
weren't on. "This is cool."
A male chuckle came from close to her ear. "What's cool?"
She rolled over and faced Zane, who
was watching her with an indulgent
expression. "I can see in the dark."
He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Of course you can, my
love. I can see the red of your hair, the pale green of your inquisitive eyes and the
creaminess of your pale skin."
His words lured her closer. "What else can I do?"
"All your senses will be more acute. Listen." As she did so, she rapidly became
aware of the myriad sounds surrounding them. The plunk of the water dripping from
the bathroom taps, the roar of the traffic on the street, the snores of the people in the
apartment below. She covered her ears with her hands. It was too much. Zane was right
there, locking her in his embrace. "Concentrate, Sophia. You can block it all out. Just
pretend your mind is a radio and you're turning down the sound." It sounded like a
silly thing to do, but she did it anyway and damned if it didn't work.
As the cacophony of sound died away, she tilted her head up so she could see him.
"Thank you."
"You're very welcome. There will be much for you to learn over the next few
months."
"Can we change into bats like in the movies?" She wasn't so sure that she wanted to
know.
Zane laughed and she stared, struck by how much younger he appeared. The lines
of strain that usually bracketed his mouth and eyes seemed less pronounced. "No," he
chuckled. "We cannot become bats." Before she could heave a sigh of relief, he
continued. "But we can shift into wolves and the rare vampire can even become an
owl."
She thought about that for a second. "That's okay."
"I'm glad you approve." She could sense that he was suppressing more laughter,
but she didn't mind. It was so unusual to see him this happy. If she was the cause of it,
then she was glad.
Sophia stared at Zane, becoming more aware of him by the second. His big body
exuded heat and the most intoxicating scent. Leaning forward, she sniffed his neck,
letting her lips graze down his jugular vein. Her tongue snaked out to taste him and she
savored his salty flavor.
He groaned but did nothing to stop her. Her body was quickly heating up as well.
Her skin felt flushed and her sex creamed with growing need. Her pussy began to
throb, clenching and unclenching as her desire heightened. She wanted this man and
she wanted him now.
Pushing him onto his back, she crawled on top of his stomach. His brilliant
emerald-green eyes were glowing in the dark and there was no mistaking the lust that
filled them to overflowing. She licked her lips and laughed when his gaze followed the
track of her tongue.
Reaching up, he cupped her breasts in his palms, dragging his thumbs over her
puckered nipples. She whimpered as they tightened even further. She rubbed her pussy
against the hard planes of his belly, trying to ease the growing ache within her. Cream
from her body slid down to coat his skin, making her slide more easily.
Her fingernails dug into his chest as she arched into his hands. She
wanted...something. Her gums throbbed and then she felt them. Jerking back, she
almost fell off Zane as two sharp fangs extended downward.
"You need to feed, my love." She was frightened by how much she wanted to lower
herself and just bite his neck. As if he sensed her uncertainty, he shifted his hands onto
her back, soothing her as he drew her down onto his chest. "It is perfectly normal and
nothing to fear."
She'd have to take his word for that. The hunger within her was expanding. She
could hear the heavy beat of his heart and the whoosh of his blood as it pumped
through his veins. "Don't let me hurt you." She still wasn't sure that she was in control
of this vampire thing."
"You won't," he promised.
Taking him at his word, she nuzzled his neck. God, he smelled delicious. Opening
her mouth, she sucked on his skin. He groaned and cupped the back of her head,
holding her to him. Her fangs slid easily through his flesh, piercing it quickly. The first
gush of blood caught her off guard and she choked.
Then the taste exploded in her mouth. Sweet, vital and better than chocolate. All the
cells of her body were crying out for it, so she drank. Each pull of her mouth on his neck
was echoed deep in her pussy. The more she swallowed, the more aroused she became.
Zane slipped his fingers between her thighs and began to stroke the slick folds of
her pussy. She moved against his fingers, wanting to come. Needing to come. His
thumb grazed her clitoris and without warning, she exploded, her body convulsing. She
raised her head, yelling her release. It was intense and quick, and when it was over, she
collapsed against his chest.
"Lick the puncture wounds to close them."
She raised her head enough to see the dribbles of blood seeping from his neck.
Embarrassment filled her. "Sorry about that."
He growled like a contented bear. "There is no need for you to be sorry about
anything, or embarrassed either."
She realized that he could sense her feelings as well. She wondered if she was more
in tune with his. She'd been so caught up in the changes in her own body that she
hadn't tried. Concentrating, she was struck by the blast of lust and need that radiated
from him. How the heck had she missed that? And if she'd needed visual clues, the
erection poking her in the stomach was a dead giveaway. But mixed with the lust were
feelings of intense love and pride. She blinked back tears that threatened to spill. No
one had ever loved her this way before, or been proud of her just because she was
herself and for no other reason.
Levering herself up on her hands, she kissed him. His tongue snaked into her
mouth, tasting the blood that she'd drunk from him. It should have been disgusting.
Instead, it was highly erotic and although she'd just climaxed, her body was crying out
for his.
He rolled suddenly, reversing their positions so that he was looming above her.
"Now it's my turn." She shivered, but it certainly wasn't with fear. "I want to claim you
in every way possible." She knew what he was asking without his having to say so.
There was only one way that he hadn't taken her. She nodded. His nostrils flared and
she sensed his growing excitement. "Are you sure?" he asked as he cupped the side of
her face.
"Yes." There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted this as much as he did.
He rolled away from her and grabbed a white tube from the bedside table. She
raised an eyebrow in question. He just grinned. "I bought a few supplies, just in case."
Sophia laughed, unable to help herself. He looked so pleased with himself. Her grin
faded as his gaze darkened. His eyes seemed to devour her as they roamed over her
nude body. Rather than feeling shy, she felt wanton. Her thighs parted and she rolled
her hips upward in invitation. She cupped her breasts with her hands and tweaked her
nipples with her thumb and forefinger, groaning as the pleasure shot straight to her
pussy.
"On your hands and knees." His guttural growl sent more heat raging through her
veins. Hunger beat at Sophia's body. She wanted him to fuck her and she wanted him
to take her blood. The idea that she could fe
ed him with her blood while pleasuring him
with her body excited her unbearably. She licked her lips, already wanting to drink
from him again.
"Sophia," he growled again. She rolled over, coming up on her hands and knees.
She could picture what he wanted in her mind. Whether she was reading his thoughts
or he was feeding them to her, she wasn't sure. But it didn't matter. The images were
raw and erotic.
Lowering her forehead to her pillow, she pushed her ass into the air. Reaching
behind her, she grabbed the cheeks of her butt and spread them wide, exposing herself
totally to him. "Is this what you had in mind?" She barely recognized the sensual purr
as her own voice. She felt sexy and powerful and totally wanton.
"Oh, yeah. That's perfect." His finger traced the dark cleft of her behind, leaving a
slick trail of a gel-type substance. He rimmed the puckered opening before pressing the
tip of his finger inward. It was tight, but it didn't hurt, even as he pushed it deeper. The
thick coating of gel allowed it to slide into her fairly easily.
She pushed her behind toward him. "More."
"So demanding." She could hear his pleasure as he pressed a second finger in to
join the first. This was harder and the pressure began to make her ass burn. She groaned
and he stilled. She didn't want him to stop.
"No. Don't stop." She panted, trying to make her body relax, knowing it would
make it easier on both of them.
Her entire body jerked as he lightly scraped his teeth over her ass. At the same time,
he drove his fingers deeper. This time, they both groaned. Zane nipped at her behind as
he slid his other hand forward, fingering the slick folds of her pussy. But his featherlike
touches weren't enough.
"Stop teasing me."
"But you're such fun to tease." His thumb grazed her clitoris and she cried out.
Cream slipped down her thighs. The ripe smell of sex and need permeated the air
around them.
"Fuck me, Zane." She bucked back against him. Every nerve ending was tingling,
every muscle in her body clenched. She needed him inside her. Nothing else could sate
the hunger burning in her body, indeed, in her very soul.
His fingers slid from her ass and she almost cried out at the loss. Then he was
behind her and she could feel the blunt head of his shaft probing at the tight entrance.