many
women would have forgiven him so easily. Not that he wanted any other woman
ever again. She was it for him. She was his one and only. His mate, for all
time.
He was the happiest of men. His joy bubbled over and spilled
into her, his smile touching both souls, joined as they were.
“I love you, my mate.”
His lips found hers in a torrent of love, joy and need. He
kissed his way down her throat, pausing at her pulse, knowing that this, her
first feeding, would be special for both of them. He placed her on the bed,
ridding them of the covers with one hard tug. They billowed out behind them to
the floor, unnoticed.
“You will drink from me as I join with you, body and blood.
Don’t be afraid, Kelly. This is as it was meant to be between us.”
She nodded, swallowing hard. Her eyes were enormous in her
beloved face, her fear of what was to come shadowed only by her desire. Which
was the stronger of the two was yet to be seen.
“I don’t know if I can do this.”
“I believe in you, cherie . You will do what you must
so that we both may live and thrive. Never forget that I love you. You are the
other half of my soul.”
She smiled softly. “When you say it like that, I can’t deny
you a thing, Marc. You’re downright dangerous.”
“Never to you. Never again.” His eyes were serious, his lips
curving in invitation as he moved over her. “I will protect you from all harm
for the rest of our nights. I will love you, honor you and give you sustenance
as you sustain me.”
He rubbed against her, his hardness sliding into its home
between her legs, though not within her just yet. He felt her slick heat
against his aroused skin and grinned.
“I want you inside me, Marc.” She tugged at his shoulders,
but he didn’t move.
“You’re so impatient, my little love. All in good time.”
“I’m going to die here, if you don’t get a move on!”
“You will never die, mon amour . Not now. Not ever.
You will stay here with me, and when it is time for us to move on to the next
realm, we will do so together. Do you understand?”
He couldn’t help the fear that shot through him. She felt it
too, he knew, echoing his emotions through their link, but he couldn’t control
it. When he’d come to his senses with her life draining away in his arms, he’d
known a panic the likes of which he never cared to feel again. She would not
leave him. She could not.
She must have understood his desperation because she tugged
him closer, kissing his face with tender touches. He allowed himself to be
pulled down into her warm embrace.
“I’m here, Marc. I’m not going to leave you. Not ever. I
love you.”
To hell with waiting. He’d love her slow the next time, but
right now, he had to join with her. He had to be inside her, body, mind and blood.
His passion flared, and he knew she felt it.
He felt the resulting echo of her joy and passion as her
body rose to meet his. With one long, hard thrust, he shoved home, finding his
place inside her tight body.
He groaned as he thrust within her, knowing she welcomed him
in every way. He could feel her mind opening to him and soon he’d take her
blood into his body as she would his. He could hardly hold himself in check,
just thinking about it.
Slowly, he began to move in and out of her tight pussy.
“Do you feel the need building? Do your teeth ache with the
need to expand into fangs?”
He knew she was feeling the ache of her first fangs, and he
had to guide her through this first small change. He moved deeper into her mind
as well as her body, bringing rhythm to them both as he gave her a gentle,
mental nudge toward the change of which she was so afraid. He witnessed the
surprise in her mind as her canine teeth elongated into the sharp, piercing
fangs that would allow her to feed from him.
“Marc?” She was uncertain, he knew, but willing to follow
where he led. God, how he loved her.
“I’m with you, love. It’s okay.” He lowered his head,
nuzzling her.
C. J. Cherryh
Learning to Kill: Stories
John O'Riley
Brenda Sinclair
Christopher George
Stephen Lloyd Jones
Karl Iagnemma
Celya Bowers
Jill Gregory
Aria Cunningham