Fresh Blood by Jennifer Colgan Page B

power and the almond soap she loved.
His fingers closed on her neck, caressing her skin beneath the
collar of her robe. “You attracted someone’s attention. Someone
devious enough to drug you.”
    “Who?”
    “Maybe Vera. I don’t know. She may have been
trying to lure you away from me. You saw Carlisle with his vampire
bitch. He might have drawn me away so Vera could lead you off
somewhere where I couldn’t find you. Carlisle wants you. I could
smell it on him.”
    “But I’m yours.…” She breathed the words
without thinking. All coherent thought left her as Max dipped his
head close to her neck. His teeth scraped her shoulder and she
squeezed her eyes shut to block out the fear of losing control.
    “Yes. You’re mine. Or at least you were
supposed to be mine last night.” His fingers slid into the folds of
her robe and parted it. Erica sighed as he drew a line of fire
between her breasts. “When I got you home, you asked me to make
love to you. Do you remember that?”
    She shook her head. “I remember you standing
over me.”
    “I did, for a long time, wondering what to do
with you. I wanted to shake you. You’ve gotten yourself in too deep
already and I wanted to scare you away from this world. I thought
about tearing your dress, drinking from the spot right here--” Max
thrust his hand between her thighs and Erica gasped. Her body
throbbed with need for him, and the feel of his fingers on her
sensitive flesh was her undoing. She moaned.
    “If I’d bitten you there and left you, you’d
be wondering now what I did to you. I could have made you think
anything I wanted. I could have left you with the memory of my cock
inside you, but I didn’t because I didn’t want you to just remember
it. I wanted you to feel it.”
    Max brought his fingers to the nest of curls
between her legs and delved inside. Erica cried out and spread her
legs. He caught her around the waist and pushed her backward
against the wall.
    She dropped her head to one side, offering
herself to him again. When he bent his head to her neck and sucked
her skin into his mouth, she gasped. She shuddered against him when
his teeth pierced her skin. Instinctively, she spread her legs
father to allow him access anywhere he wanted to go. Their hands
met between them and battled to pull the towel from around his
waist.
    With the last barrier between them gone, he
hoisted her up and positioned his hard thighs between hers. His
free hand pushed her robe from her shoulders, baring her breasts to
him. He caressed her as he drank and his erection grew until the
hard length teased her to distraction.
    She wrapped her legs around him and he held
her another few inches higher, positioning her above him. He
lowered her as he thrust upward and she bit her lip at the sweet
sensation as he took possession of her body.
     
    * * * *
     
    Max drank deeply as he entered her, then
released his hold on her neck. It wasn’t about feeding anymore. He
took just enough blood to fuel his desire to the breaking point.
Now, with her essence inside him, he was ready to show her exactly
what his world was like.
    He wrapped his arms around her and carried
her to the bedroom. They didn’t make it to the bed. He placed her
on the floor and knelt over her, delving deeper while she moved
against him.
    “Open your eyes,” he commanded. “I need to
see it.”
    She obeyed and he kissed her, plunging his
tongue deep. She still tasted like the wine and now, mixed in her
scent was musk and primal fear, lust and anger. He craved it all,
every emotion, every sensation. He took it all in and let it wash
over her, using his ability to shape her perception so that she
felt his desperate need mixed with her own. He made her feel his
heart pounding under her hands as he took her, made her feel his
skin grow slick with sweat as he worked her body to the breaking
point.
    When her inner muscles began to pulse, he
slowed his thrusts. With long-practiced skill he allowed a