OnsetofDanger by Aubrey Ross Page A

into her flesh with each firm
pull. If she squirmed too much or tried to jerk away, he’d slice open her
breast.
    Danger and hunger swirled through her, speeding her pulse
and sensitizing her skin. She’d refused his offer of pleasure, forcing him to
explore harsher impulses and darker desires. Though free now, her hands
remained above her head, folded into loose fists. She couldn’t find the
strength to move them to a less submissive position. She felt weightless and
dizzy, hovering on the verge of something monumental.
     
    Hunger pounded Bronik’s control, urging him on, demanding
more of her tantalizing taste. Her blood lingered on his tongue, sweet and
vibrant, with a unique spiciness he’d never tasted before. He released her
nipple and returned to the wounds he’d created. He desperately wanted to thrust
his fangs back in and drink deeply. Her symbionts were neutralized, not that
they would have been much of a problem anyway. Strigo was the original strain.
The other three were mutations, weaker distortions of the true strain.
    But he wasn’t here to feed. He was trying to provoke her, to
stimulate her dormant symbionts back to wakefulness. Rather than drink his
fill, he dragged his tongue across the mark and closed the twin wounds. She lay
still beneath him, much too still for his liking.
    He rocked back onto his knees and waited until she looked at
him. “Grab the backs of your knees and hold your legs open. I like to use my
hands as well as my mouth.”
    Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped as her sluggish mind
registered the command. “Go. To. Hell.” Venom dripped off each word and crimson
sparks burst within her eyes.
    Red light meant Vladya energy. The progress was slow but his
strategy was working. “I don’t want to damage you. If you were at full strength
it might be fun to wrestle but you are too easily injured at the moment.”
    “Isn’t that just too damn bad?” She drew her knees up,
either to kick him or in an attempt to roll away. He swooped in under her legs
and grabbed both her wrists then used his body like a wedge to pry her legs
apart. After a few moments of kicking and twisting, her legs settled over his
arms and he dragged her hands beneath her hips, which tilted her pelvis to the
perfect angle.
    “Much better.” He searched her gaze, hoping for more sparks
of Vladya light. All he saw was anger and uncertainty. He wanted to reassure
her, tell her he wouldn’t hurt her. But that was counterproductive to the plan.
She needed to fear him, think him capable of anything, or this was pointless. He
inhaled her aroused scent and groaned. Perhaps not pointless. They were both
enjoying the struggle but this wasn’t really about sex. He parted his lips,
displaying his fangs as Strigo fire burned within his eyes. “I’m famished, so
you’d better lie still or I’ll be sucking more than cream from your pussy.”
    One of her arms slipped within his grasp then twisted and
her fingernails bit into his hand. Judging from the sting, her claws were
extended. He hissed in warning but the reaction was encouraging. Even the
smallest transformation required symbiotic energy.
    “Retract those claws or you’ll feel my fangs again and I
won’t stop until my hunger is sated.”
    Her breasts quivered, the nipples still tightly peaked and
smeared with blood. She glared for another moment then turned her head and
closed her eyes.
    He leaned in and dragged his fangs down her inner thigh. She
yelped and red welts striped her ivory flesh, though he’d been careful not to
break the skin. “You look lovely in stripes. We’ll have to play with the whips
once I’ve tasted you properly.” He teased her crease with the tip of his tongue
then striped her other thigh with his fangs. She cried out, her hips bucking as
he watched the new welt form. “What’s the matter?”
    “I hate you.” Her voice broke but she refused to open her
eyes.
    “Of course you do. You’re a Vladya princess and I’m