Pleasure Cruise by Mandy M. Roth, Michelle M. Pillow Page B

It is my sworn duty to protect you and that is not a responsibility I take lightly.”
    How dare he read her? How dare he presume that he could invade her thoughts the way she had allowed him to invade her body? She spun around to yell at him. The dizziness that threatened her senses washed over her, making her knees weaken.
    There was no time to even eke out a small cry of protest as Braden’s strong, cool arms wrapped around her. He pulled her up into his chest, enfolding her within a protective embrace. His lips met hers, stopping any protest she might have uttered. His mouth was cool at first, but seemed to warm slowly as he worked against her.
    Kira pressed her lips tightly together and pulled back, refusing to open her mouth to him. He fitted his full length against her body, as hard as steel. The firm line of his erection seemed almost to pulse along her stomach. All too well, her body remembered its length, its texture, and its intoxicating power. She looked into his captivating blue eyes, watching as they filled with what looked like pain a second before they began to swirl.
    She beat hard against his chest, trying to hurt him. “No! No, let go of me. This can’t be happening. You’re dead. A walking corpse. I don’t want to be with you. I don’t want to be touched by you ever again. Just let me go.”
    Braden tightened his hold on her and held her with his gaze. He trapped her to him, forcing her back to the rail so she couldn’t escape. Something tugged on her insides, pulling her body into a state of arousal. She knew enough about vampires to know that Braden tried to seduce her mind, to mesmerize her to his will. She couldn’t allow him to do that. She’d fight him, and then she’d get off this godforsaken bloodsuckers’ cruise if it was the last thing she did.
    “You’re not going anywhere, not until we talk about this in a reasonable way,” Braden said, his lips brushing hers as he spoke, causing her lids to grow heavy. Almost instantly, her panic melted and she had an odd sense of safety. “You had no problems with me prior to finding out what I was. As I recall, you rather enjoyed fucking the ‘cabin boy’.”
    “Stop it, you… undead… walking mummy. Get away from me!” Kira just knew he was using his mind tricks on her and tried to shake him off. “You’re probably some poor vampire con artist who tries to pick up women and then kills them when you get their cash.”
    Braden chuckled. “Are you always this dramatic?”
    “I’m not dramatic!” Kira pressed her lips tightly together, daring him to disagree.
    “Hum,” he drawled disbelievingly. “I would think that you would be pleased to find out that I am no cabin boy. I am certainly no con artist searching for a meal ticket. In fact, I do not doubt that I could purchase several of these cruise ships for you this very evening and it would not make a dent in my bank account.”
    “I don’t care, I—”
    Braden rocked his hard cock against her, sending a shockwave of desire over her treacherous flesh and shutting her up.
    Kira huffed and struggled to free herself from his strong grip. “I’d never have been with you if I’d known what you are. You did something to me, something that made me want you like that. I wouldn’t have let you touch me if I’d have known you were truly a monster.”
    “You knew, Kira. Some part of you knew that I wasn’t human and liked it. I only took away your apprehension so you could act on instinct. I didn’t take away your choice. You chose me, Kira.” His gaze darkened in torment. “Besides, it is I who should be disgusted. I do not come from a line that condones mating with mortals.”
    She couldn’t believe the nerve of him—making her out to be the repulsive one when he had a liquid diet and was in some bizarre state of perma-preservation. Braden snickered and she knew he listened in on her thoughts again. She focused on blocking him out. In her mind, she pictured a wall and hoped