Ambient Light

AnEllora’s CaveRomantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Ambient Light

ISBN 9781419918636 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Ambient Light Copyright © 2008 Mandy M. Roth

Edited by Nick Conrad. Photography and cover art by LesByerley .

Electronic book Publication October 2008

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, thisbook may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher,Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

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rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously. Ambient Light Mandy M. Roth Dedication

To Jaycee, who never ceases to light the fire under my backend to get me motivated and working once more. Your phone calls not only make me laugh, they let me know someone else as disturbed as me exists in the world. I really do think we need T-shirts warning people.Though the bumper sticker idea has merit too.

Author Note

This is a world in whichsupernaturals exist but are not known to humans. Thesupernaturals are written in a way they do not have to worry about sexually transmitted diseases. In real life, please use caution and practice safe sex.

Prologue

YatesColyer rolled onto his side, disgusted with himself as he heard the front door close. The woman leaving meant nothing to him. In fact, he hadn’t even bothered to get her name. What he wanted her for had little to do with needing it so he passed. As a creature of the night, he required blood once every two months or so. At his age, blood wasn’t something he was day-to-day dependent on anymore. There was a time, back when he was newly sired that he needed blood several times a day. Fortunately for him, his father had been in a position of power, giving Yates unlimited access to the town, its resources and more importantly, its warm bodies. Beggars and peasants overpopulated the area and he used to think he was doing his part to thin their numbers. They were rarely missed and on the off chance they were, no one with any kind of power paid them any heed.

Over the centuries, he learned to curb his hunger and take blood without killing the victim or donor, depending upon where and how he got it. He was a different man now, no longer killing to sate the demon within. He liked to think he had more control and more finesse. Like everything, he had to change with the times. It mattered not that he was technically still aComte . He’d reinvented himself so many times over the course of his immortally long life that Yates no longer paid much mind to the politics of it. Throughout it all something had been missing. It still was. What, he wasn’t sure. With his blood hunger satisfied, he thought about what else he depended upon to survive.Sex. He needed it almost daily. He craved it as much as he craved seeing the sunrise. At least with sex, he could actually obtain the goal. The sunrise would never again be. He had vague memories of his last sunset, though at the time he wasn’t aware it would be his final one. He hadn’t asked to be brought over as a creature of the night, another form of the many demons that inhabited the earth and beyond. He’d been sired against his will and had to learn to make the best of it. I am far from making the best of it. All had been well until he had foundher .The mysterious woman in the magazine. The one with haunting lavender eyes and a mouth that begged to be wrapped around his cock. She haunted his every moment—awake and asleep. Yates growled as he went onto his back, hitting his bed with his fist as he thought of how his daily sexual escapades had died almost instantly since he had seen the mystery woman’s face in the magazine. Sure, he’d found beautiful women more than willing to lie with him and please him until sunrise but his cock wouldn’t cooperate. It had its sights set on one woman and one woman only. She was a stranger to him. Unfortunately, Yates knew nothing more than that she was a model. In his line of work, he met with models nonstop. Many all but beat down his door, wanting him to photograph them because he was the best. The one who had just walked out on Yates had practically thrown herself at him, offering him free rein of her body. He had tried to take advantage of the offer but his cock refused to rise to the occasion, opting instead to lie dormant as the demon within demanded to be free. If the demon couldn’t fuck it or suck it, it seemed to think killing it would suffice. Thankfully, Yates had more than enough control to stop his demon from doing anything of the sort. Hedid, however, seem to lack the ability to kick-start his cock. Sighing, he rolled out of bed and went to the magazine featuring the pictures of his mystery woman. It sat on a two-person table, positioned near the far end of his bedroom. He took a step toward it and scowled as he stepped on an open book. He liked his home tidy, everything in its place, and he valued his book collection greatly. The woman who had just left had insisted on leafing through various books then discarding them over her shoulder. He should have known then his dick wouldn’t want to be in her. Anyone who couldn’t appreciate a good read wasn’t worth fucking. He sighed. Yates ran his hand over the edge of the circular table. It was a piece he had acquired during his time in his homeland—France. Its flame mahogany veneer had caught his eye and the tapered, fluted legs kept it. He had an eye for detail and for fine things. That was part of the reason the woman from the magazine had held his attention. The magazine was already open to the pages she graced. As his gaze skimmed over the alluring raven-haired goddess, a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach began. She was so beautiful, unearthly so. Never before had a woman called to him as this one did.Those lavender eyes—he

wanted to see them staring up at him while he rammed his body into hers. She’s my mate. The thought nearly knocked him over. For four centuries he had lived in darkness, refusing to believe any such person existed. Could it be that by merely opening a magazine, he had finally located her? There is only one way to find out. Chapter One

“Turn around. I want to see the backside.” Kelly obeyed the gruff voice, turning to face the wall so the photographer could see if her assets would suit his needs. She hoped she would do. Too long she’d struggled with trying to make it in a cutthroat business and the man behind her held her career in the palm of his hand. He had the power to make or break her.Modeling barely made the rent and if she didn’t catch a break soon, she’d have to give it up and get a real job. She had little in the way of marketable skills and wasn’t sure what she’d do to make ends meet. She put a palm to the cool wall before her. The entire room felt sterile, lacking some of the charm other studios she’d been in had. What it lacked the man in charge made up. As the photographer’s warm hand skated down her back, she drew in a sharp breath. From the moment she’d walked into his studio, the man had made her body hot and need slammed through her. He filled the void his work environment left. His obsidian eyes were unnaturally captivating and matched his long, silky hair. The combination was dangerous, as was the way he presented himself. No wonder she was attracted to him. He was exactly the type of bad boy she’d fall for. The fact that he had no shirt on, showing off his alabaster abs—certainly unconventional but not unheard of in the world of photography—only made matters worse.His low-slung jeans left the tiniest start of black curls peeking out, almost daring her to look further.Oh, and how she wanted to see all he had to offer. If the bulge in his jeans was any indication of what he was packing, Kelly would be a satisfied woman. Sore but satisfied. She knew she’d be spending the night massaging her clit to images of him in her head. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine his muscular frame above her as he sank his cock into her. She’d use one of her many vibrators to stimulate herself before cramming a dildo into her pussy. Hopefully, after several nights of that, she’d be able to get him out of her mind. Doubtful but worth a try. YatesColyer was a legend in the world of photography. He had photographed the elite and made the ordinary extraordinary. He also kept to himself, oftenlabeled a recluse by others in the industry. Kelly couldn’t understand why. He was magnificent to look at with his brooding forehead, squarejawline and a body that looked to be carved by the gods themselves. He didn’t appear to have a modest bone in him so she couldn’t comprehend his need to stay tucked away from the public eye.

He traced tiny circles on the small of her back, dipping his fingers beneath the sheet she now wore. Fire shot through her body and it was all Kelly could do to stay upright, let alone remember to draw in vital air. He’d phoned her, not the other way around, which had shocked her to the core. She’d thought it was a joke when she’d first heard the message on her machine. After replaying it seven times, Kelly finally gave in and returned the call, expecting someone else to answer Yates’ phone. She was shocked when he identified himself to her. She was even more shocked when she realized it was truly him—the legend himself. His very voice had left her hot and horny. Kelly had traced the edges of her erect nipple as she’d spoken with Yates, trying to imagine what he looked like. Never before had the sound of someone’s voice done so much for her. Something about him had aroused her from the word go. She’d assumed it was one-sided but upon her arrival at his studio, she found Yates watching her with nothing short of lust in his obsidian eyes. It had taken all her willpower to keep her hands off what she wanted—him. She had to be careful. There had been times in the past when her supernatural strength had left someone injured when she’d meant to do anything but harm. She clawed at thewall, mindful to keep control of the side of herself she kept hidden from the public. The one she wished she could hide from herself as well. “You will do,” he said, his mouth close to her ear. His warm breath fluttered over her cheek and she shivered with anticipation of what his actions promised. “Drop the sheet.” I’ll do? Drop the sheet? Her breath caught. Did he mean what she hoped he did? That he wanted her, too?“W-what?” “The sheet.Drop it.” His fingers dipped even lower, skimming her ass and sending liquid fire to the juncture of her thighs. He inhaled deeply and let out an almost depraved-sounding growl. “You are beautiful. More than I could have ever hoped for.” More than hewhat? Kelly loosened her grip on the sheet, letting it fall further, exposing her ass to him. She wanted to beg him to touch her more, caress every part of her but she knew better. Doing so could ruin what little career she had. Yates was a photographer. His life was capturing the perfect shot, the right angle or light. His interest in her was strictly professional. Wasn’t it? Does he want me as badly as I want him? A manly chuckle came from him as he pressed his body to hers. “Ask and I shall oblige.” Huh? The slight buzz of energy she’d sensed the moment she entered his studio moved around her, coating her in a blanket of need. She glanced over her shoulder and for a split second thought his black eyes swirled with gray. She blinked and it was gone. It wasn’t something she’d ever seen a shifter do.Vampires, yes. Shifters, no. In the world ofsupernaturals , it mattered not if a vampire possessed the power to change shapes—he wasn’t considered a shifter. That title was reserved for anyone carrying animal traits within them. Not demons.

Kelly hadn’t sensed a vampire near and if Yates were one, she would have known. Her gifts hadn’t failed her yet. Unnerved, she faced forward, positive the stress of the situation and the chance at a big break was causing her to hallucinate. ***** Yates stared at his mate. He had come close to losing control, something that hadn’t happened since he was newly sired four hundred years ago. Kelly had no idea what she was to him or even what he truly was—a vampire. No human did. He had managed to keep his life a mystery, appearing to be an eccentric photographer. It was for the best. Allowing humans to know of the existence of his kind wasn’t permitted. His centuries on this earth had taught him humans were not to be trusted with his secret. He had assumed he’d spend his life alone, only having visitors when doing a shoot or when he needed to scratch his carnal itch. It wasn’t until he was thumbing through a magazine that he caught sight of Kelly. Her lavender eyes had seemed to leap off the page at him. He had assumed they were contact lenses. Even so, they were beautiful, as was she. The edges of her full, rose-colored lips had left him tracing them on the smooth pages and longing to know how they truly felt. Still, he’d set the magazine aside, thinking he might be wrong, that she wasn’t his mate. For nights he had lain in bed, picturing her while he stroked his cock. He had brought himself to climax this way on numerous occasions, each time wishing his cum was spilling into her hot mouth or cunt. It mattered not where he spent his seed, only that it ended up somewhere within her. The drive had been overwhelming, rendering him useless when he tried to bed other women. It was always Kelly’s lavender eyes he saw, no matter whatcolor eyes the female with him truly had. It was her lush lips he envisioned returning his kiss and it was her flawless skin he thought of when he fed from the others. It wasn’t until he went to ram his cock into them that Yates found his body unable to respond. Where he’d once been insatiable, he found that after viewing Kelly’s picture he could no more keep an erection with another woman than he could walk into the light of day. If it continued, he just might take that step into sunlight. Dust was preferable to celibacy.At least in his book. After talking to several of his contacts in the industry, Yates had managed to obtain Kelly’s phone number. The second he heard her sultry voice on her answering machine, his insides tightened until he thought he’d burst and the demon he had long ago become one with reared to the surface, demanding he find and claim her. Unable to help himself, Yates had gone on a hunt, needing to be near her. The first night had left him empty-handed and burning with need. The next night was better. He’d caught her scent and knew instantly it was she. As a supernatural, he could recognize his mate without question and he had. He was shocked to find not only his body reacting to her but his mind and emotions as well. He’d just met her, yet already he cared for her. It was something he had heardrumors about. Love at first sight wasn’t something he would have bought into if he weren’t currently living it. Yates had managed to maintain control enough to allow Kelly peace while he watched her from a distance, soaking in her beauty—her grace. Now the time had come for him to take what he’d waited centuries for. Having his mate with him, in the flesh, was almost too much. Kelly was perfect. Everything he’d hoped for and so very much more. Never had he thought he’d actually find his mate. Each year that had passed without her in it had run into the next, blending to the point that he’d long ceased to hold out hope. He simply fucked his way to being temporarily sated and took blood only out of necessity, not pleasure. Now, as he traced her smooth skin, he drew in the sweet berry scent of her arousal and bit his lower lip.

Blood welled as his fangs pierced his flesh. The coppery taste only served to make his cock throb more, as if it were even possible. “I want to see all of you,” he whispered, tugging lightly at the sheet Kelly clung to so desperately. He wanted to see her naked and submitting to his every whim but that would come with time. First he would settle for simply seeing her naked. The lighting was harsher than he cared for due to the ceiling-mounted strobe system he’d had installed several months back. Not wanting to leave her side to adjust them manually, Yates desperately wanted to tap into his vampire powers and dim the lights. But he was too close to the edge to trust himself enough to stop there. She gulped. “Is the shot a nude one?” “Do you want it to be?” he asked, his voice narrowly escaping a crack.I know I do. Her fear and her excitement rushed over him like a heady drug, intoxicating him with the compulsion to slide his cock deep within her silken depths. He held back even though her cunt called to him. There was no other way to put it. Her body recognized his as its mate. Kelly simply needed to play catch-up. “Umm, Mr.Colyer , I think I should—” Unable to help himself, Yates ran his hand up her spine and fisted it in her silken black hair. With a light jerk, he got a yelp from Kelly. The scent of her arousal grew stronger and it was all he could do to keep himself from spreading her out before slipping into her body. Willingly or not, he’d do it if the demon within took control. You will not allow harm to come to her, his inner voice chastised. “Call me Yates,monpetit chat . I insist.” Her breath hitched as he yanked on her hair once more, being sure to stay just this side of painful. Kelly’s excitement amused Yates as she pushed her head back more, as if daring him to use more force. The rapid rise and fall of her breasts and the smell of her cunt pushed the demon within toward the surface. Yates fought to maintain control as the nails on his fingers lengthened and his eyes swirled. His already heightened senses reached levels that were indescribable. The push to free his cock from its clothed confines and bury it deep in his mate was overwhelming. She turned her head slightly, fighting his hold on her hair. It wouldn’t do to allow her to see him in vampire form so he brushed his free hand out, knocking the light nearest him away and drawing upon his powers to dim the remaining lights, shadowing his face a second before her gaze landed upon him. He could see her perfectly. The light levels mattered little to his supernatural eyes. “Mr.Colyer …erm…Yates?” Fear.The smell of it spurred Yates onward. He took a step closer to her, pressing his erection to her exposed hip. He put his mouth to her ear. “Drop the sheet, Kelly.” The compulsion to use his vampire powers of persuasion was great but he resisted. She would submit willingly or he would not take her. Regardless of what he’d become four hundred years ago, he was still a man ofhonor . His future wife deserved nothing less. She moaned softly as he drew lazy circles over the globes of her ass. His cock dug painfully at his jeans. He wanted to unleash it and fuck her hot cunt. The faint scent of patchouli she wore maddened him,

making the already impossible task of maintaining control even harder. His fangs lengthened and he realized he was releasing his power slowly, allowing it to run over her glorious body. His senses were keen and he knew her pussy was soaked and her breathing was erratic. It was wrong to use his vampire powers to seduce her but he couldn’t stop. From the smell of her arousal, neither could Kelly. Rocking her hips, she caused his fingers to slip into the crevice of her ass. Yates drew back on the amount of power he was letting off. He knew Kelly desired him almost as much as he desired her. He’d waited so long for a mate, someone special he could share his essence with, eternally binding their hearts. Yates pulled his hand away from Kelly, doing his best to gain control before he fucked her against the wall. He wanted to do it right. Get to know her before he bedded her, but the attraction was too strong. She whimpered and looked up from under dark, thick lashes with hungry eyes. A feral smile moved over his face. The things he wanted to do to her were so incrediblycarnal that part of him wanted to blush for her. He resisted but didn’t bother wiping the images of taking her every way possible from his mind. “Do you want more?” “Yes.” The slightest hint of a purr emanated from the back of her throat, reminding him instantly of a predatory cat. The image of a black panther filled his head. He shook the thoughts away, concentrating on his mate. “How much more?” he asked, drawing in a deep breath, committing her scent to memory. “All of it,” she whispered, sucking her lower lip into her mouth. Images of those lips wrapped around his cock flooded him, damn near making him come on the spot. He was better than this. He had more control. Why couldn’t he exercise it as easily as he did with other women? Because she is your mate. Kelly pushed her ass toward him, tempting him. He smiled. “If we continue, I will be buried to the hilt in you. I’ll possess you fully, Kelly. I will own every hole in your body and demand you submit to me. I will accept nothing less.” The registration of what he was saying seemed to click in her eyes. She nodded her approval and he wrapped his arm around her waist. Trailing a line down her stomach, he fought the inherent need to bite her—to taste her warm blood. She widened her stance, allowing him better access to her pussy. He parted her nether lips andsavored the feel of her slick, velvety folds. “Uh,” she whimpered, “more.” “Patience,monpetit chat ,” Yates said, sure his voice betrayed him on how very close he was to going over the edge. He traced slow lines, up and down her slit, toying with her and, in his own way, punishing her for waiting so long to finally surface in his life.

Kelly struggled to calm her breathing as Yates’ deep voice ran over her. He tweaked her clit, pinching it lightly between his fingertips and eliciting tiny moans from her as she clung to the wall. Kelly rotated her hips, rubbing against Yates’ hand as the cream from her pussy soaked them. Being finger-fucked had never felt so good. His very touch was like magic.So raw.So carnal. She’d never have enough of him. As Kelly rocked on his hand, Yates parted her ass cheeks. Before she knew what was happening, he had his wet thumb shoved into her tight ass. Two pops and a fiery explosion later, she was in bliss, filled with his hand as he finger-fucked her ass and her pussy. Yates slid his free hand around her and pinched her nipple to the point where it was painful but it felt too good to ask him to stop.The orgasm building deep within her burst free. For a moment it felt as if a dam had let loose. Warm liquid gushed down her inner thighs. Yates growled, thrusting his hips against her.“Ah, yeah, my love. Show me how good I make you feel.” Kelly thought the pleasure would stop. It didn’t let up. Instead, it increased, causing her to squirm in an attempt to escape. She needed a moment to catch her breath, absorb what had happened. She’d read about female ejaculation, even seen it in adult movies but this was her first time having one herself. It was all too much. She’d arrived at his shoot and suddenly she found herself in the throes of being seduced. The only fault she could find with the situation was that Yates was taking too long. “Please.” “Please what?” he asked, his voice deeper than it had been. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, alerting her that something was off. Kelly froze. Yates kissed her shoulder and something sharp ran over her skin.“Mr.Colyer —Yates?” “Your smell is intoxicating.” He planted a tiny kiss on her neck.“So young.So innocent. So willing to give yourself fully.” “Yates?” He licked a slow line over her sensitive skin. “You submitted fully, did you not, Kelly?” She exhaled slowly.“Y-yes.” “I need to taste you,monpetit chat ,” he murmured. And I want you to taste me.She nodded, assuming he meant he wanted to lick her pussy. When she felt a sharp pinch in her shoulder followed by white-hot pain, Kelly knew better. Vampire. Shocked that he’d bitten her, Kelly tried to turn and face him. Yates pinned her to the wall. The pain receded quickly, as if it was never there, and was replaced with a warm, tingly feeling that seemed to shoot down through her pussy. Her vision blurred and her entire body felt weak. Still, Yates continued sucking on her, drinking from her. The reality of it all was too much for Kelly to take in. Vaguely, she was aware of Yates riding her body to the floor before moving over her. She lay facedown as he aligned his cock head with her anus. No one had ever taken her there. Yates’ thumb had been the only thing to enter her that way and Kelly highly doubted his cock was the same size as his thumb. As he thrust into her, she heard someone screaming. It took a minute to realize it was her. As frightened as she was, she was also excited and

craving his touch.Craving him.

Kelly’s screams brought Yates back from the edge. He’d given in to the demon and was currently fucking and sucking her. It was every vampire’s dream. He tried in vain to pull off her. The demon within him held tightly to the reins, needing the thrill of spilling his seed in her while it was in full control. The life within her slowly began to ebb away. Her blood was rich, smooth and addicting. Her ass was so tight that he thought for sure he’d come even though he’d only just entered. He pumped harder, faster, willing himself to finish so he could contain the demon before irreparable damage was done. He thrust his power out and over her, coating her and pleasuring her. She bucked beneath him, moaning and grunting as he fucked her ass. The demon within him, full for the moment, allowed him to ease his fangs from her neck. He started to lick her wound with the intent of using his saliva to instantly heal it. Nothing happened. He lapped the area some more. It didn’t heal. Blood oozed freely, sparking the demon in him once more. The next thing Yates knew, he was watching himself smear the blood over Kelly’s skin, coating her shoulder, her back, her ass. As he rubbed it over the base of his cock, which was still partially buried in her ass, he realized what the demon was doing—it was claiming Kelly as its mate as well.Making her forever one of them.A creature of the night. No. “Yes,” she panted, pressing her body to his.“Yes, Yates. Yes.” Again, she purred and thoughts of a large black panther with lavender eyes filled his head. He tried to fight it but lost the battle, suddenly watching events as if he were looking through fog instead of his own eyes. The idea of losing Kelly terrified him. Never in his unnaturally long life had he known fear like this. Unable to stop himself, Yates leaned down and began licking the blood from her back as hepummeled her tight ass, taking it and claiming her for his own. His balls drew up a second before he came deep inside her. He held his position, letting the last of his cum spurt into her. Kelly had stopped moving and was eerily silent. It took a moment for his senses to clear. When he realized her heartbeat was faint at best, his own seemed to skip. “No,” he said, withdrawing from her quickly and turning her over. Kelly was limp. Her glossed-over eyes stared up at him and he knew the demon had gone too far. Had gotten caught up in the passion and carnal excitement of finally selecting the woman he would spend eternity with. He cried out—the need to hit something, anything, was almost all-consuming. Slamming his hand into the floor next to Kelly, he felt the desperation seeping through him as a shock wave rumbled beneath him. “No!” On the verge of letting the demon have what was left of his very soul, Yates stopped when he sensed the slightest hint of foreign power around him. It buzzed lightly in the air. He looked down at Kelly to find the lavender of her eyes intensifying to the point it no longer appeared human. Her skin shimmered and the compulsion to offer his blood was too great to resist. Biting his wrist open, Yates put it to her cool lips. Nothing happened. Something clear splashed on

Kelly’s upper chest and it took Yates a minute to understand it had come from him. He was crying. The last time he’d shed a tear had been over four hundred years ago when he was but a child. Another tear fell, this one hitting his wrist and mixing with his blood as it flowed into Kelly’s mouth. She blinked and he gasped. Kelly put her mouth over the wound and suckled from him, the feeling leaving his cock twitching. Her sucks were long and sweet, as he knew they would be in other places as well. She released his wrist just as his rising erection became painful. A slow, sexy smile moved over her face as she stared up at him like nothing had happened. Too shocked to comment, Yates simply looked down at her, wondering how it was she appeared uninjured. He’d not been gentle with her. In fact, he’d taken her harder and further than he’d ever taken a woman before—even a supernatural one. “Mmm,” she whispered, opening her legs wide. “Fuck me. I need to feel you in me again, Yates.” “Fuck you?” His eyes widened. “Kelly, you just…I just… Kelly?” She hissed and he watched as tiny fangs appeared in Kelly’s mouth. Her lavender eyes swirled with flecks of black but didn’t completely change over as his had long ago. She turned her head and bit into his already bleeding wrist. The feel of his mate’s bite was more than he could have ever hoped for. A spasm tore through his cock instantly and the need to bury it deep in her cunt consumed him. Lifting her with ease, Yates headed straight for the door to his living quarters. He didn’t stop until he’d reached the bathroom. They needed to get cleaned up. They were both covered in drying blood and mixed juices. Thrusting the shower door open, he smiled as Kelly began nibbling at his neck, leaving tiny bite marks as she went. “Go ahead, my love. Take what you desire.” She shook her head. “I want you, Yates.” Stunned by her comment, he locked gazes with her. “How is it you have enough control over your demon to talk to me rationally?”

Kelly stared up into Yates’ obsidian eyes and let out a low, sultry laugh. “Try not to look so confused, darling.” “Darling?” She closed her eyes, doing her best to focus on what was going on. Something had happened during the course of their lovemaking.Something that left her feeling free, alive, powerful and sexy. The beast she’d been born with even felt freer, loving the power that ran through her veins. She knew she had control of Yates now, even if he thought he was the one in charge. “Put me down,” she said, not quite feeling like herself but knowing she wanted to stand on her own two feet. “Kelly, you are weak. You—” Energy seemed to flare through her as if the static had been building forever and was only now finding release. It leapt from her body to Yates and he hissed, tossing his head back and gritting his teeth.

He set her down but didn’t let go of her. Instead, heleveled a hard, feral look upon her. “Challenging your mate within minutes of your making is beyond foolish,ma petite .” Carnal knowledge left Kelly confident she could and would have the man before her wrapped around her finger come dawn. No. Not a man.More than a man.A vampire. She should have been scared, terrified, anything other than turned-on. Their kinds didn’t mix. The vampires and shifters had been at odds since the dawn of their existence, yet here she was, fucking one. He’d bitten her. You bit him, too. Yates cupped her chin, forcing her attention to his face. “Tell me how it is you’re able to stand on your own. Newly formed…” Going to her tiptoes, Kelly pressed her lips to his, thrusting her tongue in, seeking his. Their tongues locked and she drew back slowly, wrapping her tongue around his. He moaned and pressed the palms of his hands to the wall on each side of her head. Kelly could sense the struggle within him. Yates didn’t want to give in to her without first getting answers she couldn’t give him. She had no clue why she was standing or why the drive to butt heads with Yates was her guiding light. Something deep within told her that if she didn’t make him see her as an equal right now, he never would. It also told her that forever was a long time to spend living for his every whim. Yates broke their kiss, appearing to be fighting his every desire to continue. Such a stubborn man—vampire. He gathered lather in his hands, rolling the bar of soap with the same hands that had earlier brought her to orgasm. The intensity of his stare should have made her shudder in fear. It had the exact opposite effect. She shuddered with anticipation, wanting to provoke him. “Kelly, I want answers,” he said, sliding his sudsy hands over his erect cock. He rinsed and repeated the steps, this time slipping his hand between her legs and washing her thoroughly. “Tell me how it is you’re—” The second he rubbed her swollen clit, Kelly tossed her head back and gave in to the call of her beast. She snarled and felt her eyes shifting, no doubt glowing with intense violet. Claws emerged from her fingertips and her canines lengthened even more. She gave a very surprised-looking Yates a shove, knocking him into the shower wall. “My turn,” she said, her voice vibrating slightly as it often did when she was partially shifted. “Ashifter ?”The disgust that covered Yates’ handsome face scorched her soul. Kelly drew back quickly as the pain of long ago, committed to memory, swept through her. She eyed the shower glass, wanting to get away. She’d spent her life being looked down upon by the vampires. Humans weren’t permitted to know aboutsupernaturals and whenever one found out about her, they

often reacted with fear and horror. Any way Kelly looked at it, she was made to feel inferior for what she’d been born as. It was part of her reasoning for wanting to model. She wanted to be thought of as beautiful and sought after, while still managing to hide her true self from all around. Yates put his hand out tentatively, reaching for her. Kelly jerked her head away, avoiding his touch as if it would burn. He arched a brow. “You lived through what I did to you because you are a shifter.” She didn’t respond. She didn’t have to. The look on his face more than told her he couldn’t accept any of this. Neither could she. “My mate is a shifter.An animal?” It shouldn’t have shocked her to hear Yates’ repulsion, yet it did. It hurt more than she wanted to admit. He reached for her once more and she gave in to the need to flee. Kelly shifted quickly into her panther form. Since she’d been born as one, shifting took only seconds and was painless. She leapt through the glass, ignoring the pain as shards cut her. She needed distance, regardless of the cost. Chapter Two

Yates watched Kelly’s red brick apartment building from across the street. Her windows were there, so close. Yates could easily tap into his abilities to ascend to the outer side of the fourth floor—Kelly’s floor. He leaned against the corner of the building, doing his best to ignore the stench of humanity. The streets were littered with it. Most of the smells were foreign to him with regards to fully understanding what they were for. The only ones that ever caught his interest and held it were the scents that came from the various coffee shops. For some reason, they didn’t turn his stomach quite as much as the rest of the modern world. Yates stared up at Kelly’s windows, waiting for any sign she was there. The moment she’d left him, breaking through the shower glass and rushing off into the night, it felt as if the other half of his soul had gone. Soul?A self-deprecating laugh tore free of him.To lose half my soul, I must first possess one. It had taken him the greater part of an hour for the fact that his mate was a shifter to sink in. The idea as an abstract had sickened him, but he thought about shunning Kelly, forever keeping her at arm’s length regardless of the reality she was his true mate. That sobered him instantly. There was no way Yates could go on without her. Not when he’d spent so many centuries waiting for her to arrive. He also knew he had to be thankful for the saving grace of Kelly having shifter blood. She would have died had she not been. He couldn’t have brought her back by siring her after what he’d done and he knew it. Setting aside everything else, Yates couldn’t deny the knowledge that Kelly was captivating in either of her forms. As shocked as he’d been when she shifted into a black panther, claiming she was anything less than exotically beautiful would be a lie. In panther form, her lavender eyes swirled with various purples and black. Though he suspected the black came from having been partially turned by him, not the shifter blood in her. The sound of her purr was forever locked in his mind as was the look of shame etched on her face just prior to shifting. He’d caused that pain and couldn’t bear to dwell on it anymore.

His internal clock alerted him that sunrise wasn’t far off. Being caught out in it would mean his death. Living without Kelly wasn’t living so he took the chance and stood his ground. If the sun wanted to claim him, he would accept. Kelly meant that much and more to him. Catching the telltale scent of a shifter—the scent he had idiotically failed to recognize in Kelly upon first meeting her—Yates spotted a large man with shorn hair entering Kelly’s building.He knew without being told that the man was headed to Kelly’s apartment. He also knew he’d rip the man in two if he dared touch his mate. He hurried across the street but didn’t bother with the stairs. Yates did something he hadn’t done in centuries. He tapped into one of his darker gifts—levitation. ***** Kelly opened the thick wooden door and exhaled as she foundJax , herlongtime friend, standing there. The militant yet oddly fashionable lack of hair on his head always made her smile. He was one of those men who came dangerously close to being too muscular. Somehow,Jax always managed to stay just this side of too much. He also always managed to know when she needed a friend. She’d carefully avoided his calls since she’d returned, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hide the truth of what transpired at Yates’ house from him. She also knewJax’s temper. He could and would attack Yates in full force, regardless of how much Yates meant to her. But you repulse him. Her inner thoughts rushed over her and she tried to bury the hurt. “You haven’t answered your cell all damn night.”Jax pushed past her and made himself right at home, heading toward her living room windows and scanning the night sky. He was prone to odd bursts of overprotectiveness but she had little doubt he sensed she was troubled. She shut the door. “You told me you were going to a photo shoot but didn’t bother telling me where or when you’d be done?” “Jax, lecture me another night, okay?” She touched her stomach and did her best to ignore the hunger. She’d eaten—or rather, attempted to eat—only to find her body rejecting the food she put in it. She knew what she needed now, and she had no yearning to give in to the lust. Blood. Jax’slight blue eyes showed his concern. “Kelly? What’s wrong?” She went toward the sofa and a second before she would have sat down, she lost her footing.Jax caught hold of her and pulled her against his steely chest. Sniffing the air, he growled.“Vampire! I smell vampire on you!” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she saw the anger in her friend’s eyes. He swallowed hard and stretched his neck, calming down as best as he could. “What happened?” “A-at the shoot, I met a man.” Her breath was short and measured. His nostrils flared as his eyes swirled slightly. Anger bristled off his skin, his energy filling the room. “You mean a vampire.”

She nodded. “I didn’t know he was one at first,Jax . And to be honest, I don’t think it would have mattered. Ihad to go to him. The minute I heard his voice on my answering machine, I had to go. I needed to see him, touch him,be touched by him.” The cords inJax’s thick neck popped. “Youfucked a vampire?A corpse?” Lancing her heart would have hurt less than hearing Yates referred to as a corpse even though he’d had no qualms about calling her an animal. The prejudices between their kinds had gone too far. “Not a corpse. Stop it,Jax !” He sniffed the air once more and jerked away from her. “You did more than fuck him, Kelly, you let him mark you.” His face was a mask of rage. “You let him try to turn you!” She kept the fact that she had little choice on the matter to herself, opting instead to put her hand on his chest.“Jax, please. What’s done is done. I have bigger problems to deal with right now.” “What kind of problems?” he asked, sliding his hand over hers. Staying mad at one another was difficult, especially with their past. It had been a long bumpy road that they’d walked together.Jax’s ability to forgive her for almost anything didn’t surprise her. She would do the same for him. “Remember what the bloodlust felt like the first time you shifted?” Kelly knew she wouldn’t have to go into any more detail. She’d been there the nightJax first shifted. It was she he’d fed from. It was she he’d brutally used to satisfyall of the burning hunger. Her blood he’d spilled without thought. Her pound of flesh he’d taken. Her innocence lost. Jaxhadn’t meant to hurt her but the beast he carried was too powerful that first night. She’d lain there, pinned beneath him as he fed from her, his cock buried in her, snarling and narrowly managing to avoid doing serious damage.Jax had never forgiven himself for his inability to control his beast that night. There was nothing to forgive as far as Kelly was concerned. He could no more have controlled the beast within him than she could have controlled her attraction to Yates. It was fate. He grabbed her to him and cupped her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. His eyes were troubled. “How can I help you?” “Don’t let me hurt any humans, please.” The very idea of becoming a monster, one who preyed upon innocents, terrified her. She’d seen too many of own their kind have to be put down to protect humans, and though she’d never experienced that kind of loss of control, she had no way of knowing what she would become with the addition of vampire traits. She herself had delivered more than one killing judgment on a supernaturalwho was unable or unwilling to seek help during their bloodlust. She refused to be one of them. The static buzz of cool energy surrounded her. It was familiar and reminded her of Yates. Closing her eyes, she tipped her head, allowing the power to circle her. It was comforting yet full of rage—and hate. Confused, she looked around and pushedJax to the side in time to see Yates floating about six inches off the floor. The window behind him was open and his black hair blew with the night breeze at his back. His obsidian eyes swirled with flecks of gray. “You can help by getting away from my mate,” he said, each word clipped. His fists clenched and the cords in his neck popped.

Jaxsnarled and in an instant was charging Yates. Kelly screamed as they clashed with a thundering rumble. They crashed into a chair, causing it to splinter to pieces before they struck the brick wall. Had it been drywall they would have gone straight through. As luck had it, the brick stopped their momentum, causing them to bounce off it. Blood streaked the floor where they landed. The room seemed to shake and their snarls and growls were deafening. Jaxdid a partial shift and unsheathed his claws from his fingertips. He pressed them to Yates’ throat and Kelly gasped. “No!” Yates glanced at the claw to his throat and smiled, flashing fang, seemingly unconcerned with the situation. He appeared amused by the challenge, as if he welcomed the opportunity to have a serious go atJax . He took hold ofJax’s wrist and twisted, jerking the hand away from him. The fight continued, each man taking the lead for a moment before losing it. They struck an end table, breaking the lamp that had been on it. Each took turns assuming the upper hand as they spun about her tiny apartment, trashing it along the way. Their clothing was tattered and torn and blood oozed from a number of places on each of them. The rational side of her mind was furious and terrified by the actions occurring around her. The side that wasn’t human, that longed for danger, excited her, making her nipples hard and her breaths skip. She licked her lips, her gaze locked on a trickle of blood sliding down Yates’ chest. It disappeared behind what remained of his shirt and she mentally envisioned it making its way down the front of his pants. She wanted to follow its path with her tongue. A vicious blow to the face ofJax ripped her thoughts of blood play to the here and now. She shook her head and called out to them.“Stop!” Ignoring her, they continuedpummeling one another, their blows deafening and meant to kill. Desperate to break them apart, Kelly rushed forward and tried to shove between them. They ceased fighting long enough to gingerly brush her aside and returned to trying to rip one another’s heads off. Men. Kelly jerked and went to split them up again, this time with the intent of kicking both their asses if need be but the hunger pangs crippled her, taking her to the floor quickly. Clawing at the floor, she tried but failed to focus on something other than the pain. Her mouth opened and closed, no sound coming out as she writhed. She felt her eyes swirling and then her jaw flexed, her teeth lengthening and then receding rapidly. Something was wrong. Shifting was never excruciatingly painful before. Kelly finally managed to cry out as she curled into thefetal position. Yates was suddenly next to her, moving to lift her into his arms. There was a blur and thenJax replaced Yates, neither of them getting her off the floor but merely staring down at her with dual distressed expressions. Desperation left Kelly reaching out forJax . He was familiar. “She must feed,” Yates said, his voice low and tinged with a hint of shame. Jaxbrushed her hair away from her face. It was something he’d done many times over the course of their lives. It held the same comfort for her now as it used to. “She won’t feed off a human. It goes against everything she stands for. Being like one ofyou isn’t something Kelly would have ever asked for!” he growled. “You forced her, didn’t you?”

She clung toJax’s arm and shook her head. The last thing she wanted was another fight to break out. “No… No more,Jax .” “He did this to you, Kelly.”Jax’s face twisted in anguish as he continued to caress her. “You hurt because of him.” As she stared into his light blue eyes she saw his recollection of past events surface. She’d suffered greatly after he’d lost control long ago as well. His eyelids fluttered shut as he turned his head to face Yates.“Truce?” Yates’ cool hand touched her forehead and she forced an obligatory smile to her face through the pain. “Go. I repulse you,” she said straining. “I don’t want you here.” “No,” he whispered, his voice soothing. “I was shocked,ma petite . You are my true mate and there is no other I would choose above you. Of this, you have my word. Let me ease your pain.” Still hurt by his earlier reaction to her, Kelly shook her head and held tightly toJax as her stomach cramped.Jax pulled her closer, comforting her as best he could. The pain remained, crippling her. It felt as if her insides werespiraling in on themselves. “Oh gods, Kelly, let him help you,”Jax pleaded. “Your skin is turning gray. Let him fix this.” She held her resolve. Yates didn’t really want her. Guilt was his driving factor. She wouldn’t allow him to do any more for her. “No.” “Kelly,”Jax pressed. “No.” She held firm. Jaxlooked lost for a moment before rolling up his white dress sleeve. “Then let me help you. I owe you this, Kelly. Let me repay the debt.” “Non.” Yates touched her cheek. “Kelly, you are newly formed in regards to your vampire traits. I have no idea if you will require sex while you feed and I will not permit you to—” Paying no heed to Yates, Kelly stared up atJax and nodded. He pressed his wrist to her mouth and she let her mouth shift slightly. As she bit into his wrist and his warm, sweet blood slid down her throat the cramping stopped. It was replaced almost instantly with another need—the one Yates had feared and one she’d never experienced before. Shifters were known to experience bloodlust from time to time, but nowhere near the level or frequency vampires suffered from it. Her pussy clenched and her nipples peaked as she continued to suck gently onJax’s wrist. He sniffed the air and the growl he let out was one a male panther did when sexually aroused. The cat shifter in her recognized it and responded with a purr. Cool hands slid up and under her shirt, cupping her breasts and tweaking her already hard nipples. Her gaze flickered downward and she found Yates there, caressing her and then tearing her shirt open. He planted tiny kisses on the swells of her breasts, driving her already sex-starved body into a state of unrelenting need. He worked his way down her body, kissing a path to the top of her lightweightpajama bottoms. Yates

lifted his index finger and she watched as his fingernail lengthened. Heskillfully sliced the material from her body and buried his head in her slit. The moment his tongue slid over her swollen bud, Kelly arched her back as she continued to suck lightly onJax’s wrist, his powerful blood filling her, rejuvenating her. Yates slipped a finger into her pussy and she gave in to the pleasure, riding his hand as she kissedJax’s wrist. He pushed it back toward her mouth. “Drink more,monpetit chat ,” Yates said, his voice strained. Kelly shook her head. “I’ve taken enough.” “Please, Kelly. Drink more.”Jax shifted awkwardly before giving in and adjusting his cock in his pants. It was then Kelly understood why he wanted her to take more blood—he was turned on by it all. She glanced down the length of her body and found Yates staring up at her as he licked her clit, sending pleasure throughout her. The need for his approval was great. Every part of her wanted to be defiant, to march to her own beat. But the truth was, her body recognized his dominance and responded to it. “Because I am,” he said, taking his mouth from her cunt long enough to look up at her and wink. Stop reading my thoughts. He licked his lips.Stop thinking so loud and I might. He licked her clit and drew it into his mouth, sending pleasure throughout her lower region.Just this once, wife, you may give him what he desperately wants.A tiny taste of paradise. She would have questioned Yates but her orgasm picked then to strike, leaving her crying out and bucking against his face. The manly chuckle that came from him told her just how much he enjoyed it all. He lapped up her cream and then pulled back. In the blink of an eye, Yates had her flipped over onto her hands and knees, facingJax . Jaxhissed as her cheek accidentally grazed the hard length in his pants. You may touch him,ma petite. Take him in your mouth. I want to watch as I sink my cock into your warm body. You will accept my seed,oui? Yates’ words ran through her mind, coming at her with a force she’d not expected.Wife?Seed?Jax was right, Yates had marked her, claiming her as his mate. She should have been outraged to have a vampire for a mate—a husband—but she wasn’t. “Yes, give me everything, Yates,” she said, reaching up with one hand and taking hold of the button on Jax’s jeans. Jaxhelped her undo his pants and freed his ruddy cock. He fisted it, stroking slightly as he ran his other hand into her hair. Smiling, Kelly worked her mouth over the head of it as Yates aligned himself with her heated core. He thrust in at the same moment Kelly tookJax into her mouth. She cried out, the fullness of Jax’s cock drowning out the sound. The sounds of sex filled the room.Pulling.Grunting.Slick thrusts.

Yates ground his teeth as he slid his cock in and out of his mate’s tight little cunt. Beads of sweat formed on his brow and caught him off guard. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done something as mundane as sweat. Kelly’s channel clenched, taking hold of his shaft and drawing it back into her body as she hit her zenith. His gazetraveled over her back and to her head. It moved up and down as she pleasuredJax . Pangs of jealously moved through him and Yates did his best to brush them aside. This was for her—his mate, his wife. This was his gift to her. From this day forward, she would know only his body, only his touch.Jax would be the last man, aside fromhimself, she would ever taste in any way. When two vampires were mated, they could drink from each other limitlessly. Kelly would feed from Yates and Yates alone for all of eternity. He continued pumping, enjoying the feel of her channel wrapped around his cock. The more he watched her suckingJax , the more aroused he became. She was an expert at the art, it was plain to see, and he would have his turn. Right now, he concerned himself with the paradise he’d found within herquim .So sweet.So tight.Made for him. “Arrggh,” he growled out,pummeling her body. He held her hips tightly, jerking them back against his own. Kneading her ass, Yates stared down at the sight of his cock sliding in and out of her pussy. The lips of her core held fast to him, pulling out with him and taking him back with a slick welcoming. Her cream coated his cock and his gaze moved to her tiny rosette. Thoughts of fucking her ass consumed him. He knew what a bounty she held and being in her cunt only proved she truly was perfect for him. Yates eased his thumb into her ass, sinking harder and faster into her body. Kelly whimpered, the sound muffled byJax’s cock, now deep in her mouth. Jaxheld Kelly’s long hair back from her face and rocked his hips.“Right there.Mmm-hmm. There.” Kelly moaned and the sound drove Yates close to the edge. He fucked her harder, driving his cock into her pussy and his thumb into her ass. He watched closely asJax used his free hand to reach down and toy with Kelly’s nipple. She arched her back, indicating she liked it. She came with a start, her pussy clenching him tightly. Thrusting into her, he let out a ragged cry as his balls drew up and his seed exploded into her warm depths. He pushed in, rooting himself in place as his cock twitched, jetting cum. Her pussy milked him. Kelly drew back fromJax’s cock and stared back at Yates.Jax was still hard and hadn’t released yet. Yates locked gazes with the man, knowing how much more the shifter wanted. He didn’t want the man touching his wife at all but he knew he owed Kelly greatly for what he’d done to her. For what he’d made her. Turning her to face him, Yates bent and kissed her lips full on. He tugged on her gently, easing himself to the floor so he could lie on his back. She came eagerly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Minx,” he teased. “Panther,” she offered back.

Yates gave a Gallic shrug.“Same difference.”

Kelly moved up over Yates, straddling his waist and sinking down onto his still-erect cock. She gasped, noting how he felt even bigger from this angle. Once she was settled,Jax moved up behind her. Confused, Kelly glanced over her shoulder at him, instantly recognizing the hunger in his eyes. His gaze flickered to Yates briefly. He nodded then stared at her ass, seeming fixated. “Jax?” He glanced at her briefly before returning his gaze to her ass. “I’m going to mount you, Kelly.” She drew in a sharp breath and Yates picked that moment to pinch her nipples. Turning her attention back to him, she began to move on him.Jax caught hold of her hips and held her in place as he lined up the head of his cock with her ass. He teased the opening, pushing in a bit and pulling out. “It’s not going to…uh…oh gods.” She hissed as white-hot pain shot throughout her lower half.Too full. Yates thrust upward, continuing to tweak her nipples asJax moved his cock into her ass. Never before had she felt this full. The pain ebbed away, making room for pleasure. The noises coming from her bordered on animalistic. She could feel their cocks pushing at the thin barrier separating them and wondered if they could feel one another as well. The very thought of their sacs slapping into one another as the juices from her pussy coated them both was nearly her undoing. Kelly bent, capturing Yates’ mouth with her own and crying out in his mouth as an orgasm moved through her. Her pussy clenched around his cock and her ass mirrored the action. Yates andJax pumped harder, faster, making her body go numb with pleasure for a moment. Jaxwithdrew a fraction of a second before he came. He fisted his shaft, pumping it as he ejaculated over his hand. His jaw went slack and Yates set his attention back on his mate. She gazed up at him, her lavender eyes holding something he’d not noticed before. He couldn’t be sure but he thought it might be lust. Not lust, she pushed into his mind.Try again. Shocked she was able to initiate their telepathic communication, Yates licked his lower lip and he drew out of her. As he leaned back, Kelly’s eyes widened. She gasped, reaching for him with inhuman speed. Confused, Yates shook his head. She yanked him toward her and began ripping his shirt from his body, running her hands over his skin. “You’re not hurt?” “What?” Jaxlet out a soft laugh. “Relax, Kelly. Your new husband obviously picked up a few traits of a shifter

after claiming you.” Still not following, Yates tilted Kelly’s chin and kissed the tip of her nose. “Explain.” Tears filled her eyes as she touched his cheek and forced him to look back toward the window. When Yates spotted the morning sun shining through, his first reaction was to seize Kelly and shield her from it with his body. He didn’t care that sunlight was fatal to him. He only wanted to assure she was safe. It didn’t matter that he’d waited for what felt like forever to find her. If she was harmed, life wasn’t worth living. A shaky laugh escaped her. “I’m safe, Yates. And you don’t have to risk yourself to protect me. Look. It’s not hurting you.” She was right. The sunlight wasn’t harming him. He put his hand out into its rays, amazed to feel the sun’s warmth without pain. Kelly slid her hand down his arm and placed her hand in his. They stayed like that for what felt like hours butwas actually just minutes. Vaguely, Yates heard the sound of the front door closing and knewJax had left. Pulling their joined hands to him, Yates stared down at his wife and tried to find the words to describe the way she made him feel. Kelly gave him a slight shove, causing him to tip backward and go onto his back into the sunlight. She straddled his waist and was pumping his cock before he could comment. As she slid over it, she smiled wantonly. She winked. “I think you’re looking for an ‘I could grow to love you, Kelly’, but that’s my personal opinion.” Yates cupped her breasts as she rode him at a slow, steady pace,savoring the moment. He wasn’t a man known for sharing his feelings or being overly affectionate to anyone yet the need to set her straight left him doing something he never thought he’d do. “What if I’ve already grown to love you? What then?” She stilled for a moment before biting her lower lip and riding him faster. He wanted to force her to answer him but the feel of her tight cunt taking him deep overpowered him. Yates tipped his head back and thrust upward, countering her every move. Kelly leaned down, continuing to move up and down on him. She slid her long, dark hair to the side and exposed her neck to him. “Bite me, lover.” He did and the second he tasted her blood, he felt her sink her teeth into his shoulder. His cock erupted violently as she reached culmination as well. They stayed locked like that, lying in the morning sun, sucking on one another and joined until sleep came. As Yates pressed a healing kiss to Kelly’s neck, he knew the Fates were right in selecting her as his true mate. He didn’t need time to get to know her more. He already knew he not only could love her but did love her. Chapter Three

Kelly came to and blinked, staring around her bedroom. After their shower, Yates had carried her to bed and she’d drifted off, in need of sleep. Now she tried to sit up and was surprised to find her wrists bound above her head. Upon closer inspection, Kelly found her feet were tied as well, spread out wide for the offering.

“Yates?” she called out, fear making its way to her. He appeared in the bedroom doorway, his dark hair unbound. “How are you feeling?” She tugged at the ropes holding her in place. “What? Why?” Rubbing his temple, hesighed, his powerful shoulders slumped with what looked like the weight of the world on them. “You do not remember?” “Remember what?” She squirmed, to no avail.“Yates, why am I bound?” “You bolted upright in yoursleep, the bloodlust was high in you.” Her pulse beat so fast and furious that it was all she could hear for a moment. Her throat was dry as she stared wide-eyed at Yates.“W-what?” “You harmed no one. You have my word.” He glanced at her bound wrists. “I was left no choice but to assure you remained in place during it though.” “Did I hurt you?” sheasked, her voice small. She’d seen what someone over the edge could do. It wasn’t pretty. Yates’ cocksure grin told another story. He winked. “Yes, and I enjoyed it very much.” Her mouth dropped open. “You enjoyed it? What did I do?” Turning, he put his back to her, allowing her to the see the raw scratch marks that covered him. They looked to be starting to heal over but that didn’t matter. What did was the fact she’d inflicted pain upon him but had no memory of it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…” Yates glanced over his shoulder, his gazesmoldering . “I would like very much for you to do it again. Make no mistake, Kelly, I challenged the demon I passed on to you every step of the way.” She was about to ask who won but the ropes holding her to the bed made it clear Yates was victorious. “Thank you for not letting me hurt an innocent.” He nodded with his chin as he faced her. “You should have full control of the vampire portion of yourself soon enough. Until then, I shall assure you cannot get away.” Her eyes widened. “You’re going to keep me tied up?” His lips parted and his tongue darted out. “The idea has merit.” She yanked on the ropes, making her bed creak. “Yates!” Unbuttoning his pants, he kept his gaze trained on her. He wrapped his fingers around his thick erection. He worked it, causing a bead of pre-cum to escape from the tip. He rubbed it over his shaft and brought his hand to his mouth, licking it and putting it back on his cock, providing even more in the way of lubrication. “You have a good deal of fight in you,ma petite .”

Kelly stilled, not liking the fact she’d lost control to the point she needed to be tied down to keep people safe. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” “I have already stated I enjoyed it.” He advanced on her, stroking his cock on the way. “What are you going to do to me?” A triumphant smile moved over his face. “I am going to play with my wife.” She wiggled, causing a torrent of cream to flood the space between her thighs. “Untie me.” “You,” he came to a stop next to the bed and towered over her, “are not in charge here. I am. The demon I passed on to you learned as much last night. Now you shall learn the same lesson. Perhaps, between the two of you, you will come to an understanding.” A small shiver raced through her at the thought of being dominated by him in this way. “Will you hurt me?” She knew he wouldn’t but had to ask all the same. Yates traced a line down her chest with the back of his hand. He skimmed his way down her stomach and stopped at thevee of her thighs. “I very much wish to play with you, Kelly. Would you like that?” A slow blink and a slight nod was her answer to him. The edges of his mouth quirked up as he stepped away, going to the dresser.He returned with two wooden clothespins. She gave him a puzzled look and he winked. “You lack the right equipment so I improvised. When we are back in my home, we’ll have access to all of my toys.” Improvised?Toys? He bent over her and tweaked her nipples. They were already hard and the additional stimulation left her arching her back to him. Yates took a clothespin and pinched it over her nipple. Kelly yelped at the feel of it. While slightly painful, it provided an added level of stimulation she quickly found herself enjoying. Yates did the same to her other nipple. He cupped her breasts, giving them a good squeeze, making her moan. He kissed his way down her stomach to her mound and spread her folds. He stuck his long tongue out, giving her an exaggerated lick. A spasm tore through her lower region as he found her clit. He climbed up and over her, the look on his face dangerous, hungry,arousing . Kelly narrowed her gaze on him and bit her lower lip, wanting more. Yates forced her legs apart and leaned up, toying with her breasts again. He bent, nipping at them. His fangs caught skin and she moaned, tossing her head back, hoping he’d take their play further. He did. He bit and began to suckle the blood from her. The clothespins teased her nipples, making her belly curl with the knowledge that her orgasm was close. Yates lifted his head, her blood dribbling down his chin. He came up over her, pressing his mouth to hers. Coppery sweet fluid filled her mouth as his cock head nudged at her wet entrance.

She kissed him, circling his tongue with her own. Yates smiled into her mouth and lifted a brow. “Mmm, you make it hard to remember I’m attempting to remain in control.” “All I did was kiss you,” she whispered, the thrill of getting him riled up making her feel wanton. “I know.” He flicked one of the clothespins, making her gasp as a twinge of pain moved through her. It was perfect. Exactly what she needed to counter the effects he had on her. She wanted more and hoped he’d go further. “There is so much I want to do to you, Kelly.” He took hold of his cock and rubbed it through the juices of her pussy. “So many ways I want to play with you.” “We have forever.” As she said it, Kelly wondered if he truly wanted her for all eternity. Never question that again. Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice in her mind. Yates rubbed his coated, slick cock over her clit and then teased her opening. He pushed in enough to stretch her and stopped. She bucked beneath him, trying to drive him into her without success. Yates kissed her lips and continued to hold back, refusing to give her what she wanted—what she needed—him. He withdrew and sat back on his knees, staring down the length of her. “Yates. Please.”

Yates soaked in the sight of the woman he was now forever bound to and fought to keep a joyful smile from bursting over his face. She was his.Forever. Her nipples were red from the clamps and he leaned forward, releasing them. Kelly drew in a deep breath and the scent of her arousal assailed him. He tossed the clothespins aside and began massaging her breasts. “Untie me,” she said. “I want to touch you.” He shook his head, choosing instead to lick the indentations the clothespins had left behind. Kelly jerked and struggled to be free but it was pointless. She was his until he decided to free her. If I decide to free her. She gulped loud enough for him to hear.“If?” Yates grinned, happy with the knowledge she was starting to read his thoughts with ease.As a good little mate should. Spreading her legs wider, he eased himself into her. Her pussy welcomed him but was so tight he gritted his teeth to keep from coming as he slid home. Throughout the course of the night, Kelly had tossed, turned, struggled and even attacked him, all while under the influence of the bloodlust. It had saddened him to have to resort to restraining her but now, as he eased into her warm, wet cunt, he knew he would

happily bind her again and thoroughly please her, just as she deserved to be pleased. Yates glanced down the length of himself at the exposed portion of his shaft. It glistened, coated with Kelly’s cream. The sight alone was enough to drive him over the edge. Unable to control himself any longer, he thrust into her, going to the hilt. His mate’s skin was flushed and her lips were parted. An invitation if he’d ever seen one. He kissed her, mirroring the actions of his cock with his tongue, thrusting, drilling,pounding . Kelly moaned and sucked at his tongue as her pussy pulled at his cock. Giving in, he let loose, coming deep within her. She bit his lower lip to the point it bled and his cock twitched as her pussy clamped down on him, milking him. Tipping his head, Yates kissed her gently, his eyes twinkling with mischief as her cunt continued to pulse around his cock. Kelly rubbed her nose on his. “Was I a good girl? Will you untie me now?” “Do you truly wish to be free of me?” An impish smile appeared on her face. “I should but I don’t.” Chapter Four

“Now that you have me here,” Yates wrapped his arm around his wife of a week and held her close, “what do you want me to do?” The lights from the club were annoying. Their flicker distracted him, making him think he saw shadows inching in around them. He was paranoid. It had been a long time since he’d gone out to party on the town. So long, in fact, that the last time he’d found himself in a bar of his own free will was shortly before the last big plague outbreak in Europe. He’d spent the night fucking several serving wenches until his cock was chafed and he’d drunk his fill. Yates was thankful he was immune to human diseases and unable to impregnate anyone but his mate. He hated to think of the things women who frequented establishments such as that would have carried. He shuddered. The very idea of sinking into anyone but the woman next to him now repulsed him. He let his gaze rake over her slowly, wondering what it would be like to have a child with her. They hadn’t discussed the matter yet, nor were they taking any precautions to prevent such a thing from occurring. His mind wandered briefly to what their children would look like. Would they be tall? Would their sons have her eyes or his? Would their daughters be as beautiful as their mother? A knot coiled in his stomach as another thought occurred to him. Would their children be vampire, shifter or both? While he and Kelly had come to terms with what the other was, breaking the boundaries once established between their kinds, the rest of the supernatural community was still at odds. Hate wasn’t

something easily swept under the rug and peace would be a long time coming between the shifters and vampires. Yates almost refused to bring Kelly to a club known to occasionally have his kind within its walls. So far, he sensed no othersupernaturals among them but the club was filling fast and with the press of so many bodies around him, even he could miss the signs. “You’re thinking loud again.” He met her gaze. “Am I?” “Yes. You worry too much.” “About?” “Me. Any children we might ever have.” Kelly kissed his shoulder and smiled up at him. “They’ll be perfect regardless what traits they do or do not have, Yates. Stop obsessing, it’s making my head hurt.” “So,” he dragged her closer to him, “you are not opposed to having little ones?” She was silent for what felt like forever before putting a palm to his chest and exhaling loudly. “Yates, you need to understand something about me.” She frowned.“About my body. Because I am what I am,” she gave him a pointed stare, “I’m only fertile at certain times of the year. This isn’t one of them.” “C’estunbienpour un mal—it is a blessing in disguise.” “Why do you say that?” “Because I would already have your belly full.” He traced his finger over her bare skin, making a mental note to learn all he could about female shifters for future reference. She sneezed.“Àtessouhaits.” “Huh?” “I said bless you.” She sneezed again. Rubbing her nose, she winked, giving him a sexy smile. “I think I’m allergic to vampires.” “I hope there is a cure.” He bent and kissed her sweet lips. “Mmm, you didn’t answer my question, Kelly. Are you opposed to the idea?” The edges of her mouth tilted upward. “No. I’m most certainly not opposed to the idea.” He smiled and nodded his head, hoping to maintain his cool exterior when all he truly wanted to do was jump up and down in glee. From the look on Kelly’s face, she knew just how excited he really was. He focused,centering his thoughts. “So, umm, when is your next fertility cycle?” “About two months from now. We’ll need to decide if we want to try for a little one or if we want to start using protection and wait.”

He already knew what he was voting for but thought it best to avoid shouting it out. He took a calm, laid-back approach instead.“Whatever you want.” A very unladylike snort broke free of her. “You’re not fooling anyone, buddy.Least of all me.” “It was worth a try,” he said. “And I will be counting down the days.” Kelly rocked against him to the beat. It was endearing the way she continued to hold out hope he would break down and dance with her. It was enough he’d voluntarily gone clubbing. Dancing would be pushing it. They had been together for a week now and already she had him coming out of his shell. The progression wasn’t nearly as fast as he knew she’d like but it was progress all the same. She glanced back at him and smiled wide. “Are you miserable or still dreaming of being a father?” “Both.” He caressed the small of her back. The low-rise leather miniskirt she wore barely covered what it was supposed to. The top she had on was no more than a handkerchief with strings. Kelly swore it qualified as clothing but Yates wasskeptical . He was also insanely jealous of any man who dared to look at her. Since she had a tendency to turn heads wherever they went, he spent most of their time out and about pissed off. He wouldn’t deny her, though, so he trudged along, allowing her to lead. He didn’t need to dominate their every move. He knew he controlled their bedroom play and that if he did decide to extend that dominance further, she would be fine with that. Married life suited him and the shock of that was still fresh. Already he had hopes of starting a family with her and could easily see them together for eternity. Yates ran a hand through his wife’s hair, freeing it from its ties. It fell over her shoulders and down her back, cascading through his fingers. The fresh scent of her shampoo left his cock hard and him leaning in for a deeper whiff. Kelly twisted in his arms, the smile of a temptress upon her face. “I need a drink. Want one?” He shook his head. “No, but I’ll get you what you want.” She recited her order and he headed toward the bar. The crowd parted for him because he willed it so. Humans had such impressionable minds. He often ordered them about without even realizing he was doing it. Kelly had caught on to that and had been doing her best to nip it in the bud. She seemed to think he needed to learn to respect them more. He wasn’t sure why.

Kelly swayed to the beat, dancing all by her lonesome, awaiting Yates’ return. She thumped the air, matching the beat. The volume in the club seemed to rise to deafening proportions. The lights flashed faster, disorienting her. She looked behind her, hoping to see Yates but only found a press of bodies moving in on her. Sweat.Lust.Alcohol.Blood. The scents filled her head, causing her eyes to swirl. Closing them tightly, Kelly prayed no one noticed. She did her best to concentrate and ignore the bloodlust rising fast in her. They’d assumed she had a handle on it. Obviously, they were wrong.

Yates. She needed to get to him. Kelly tried to push through the crowd of bodies, all moving to the seductive, driving beat of the club. Swept up in the mass, she found herself being moved in the opposite direction of the bar. She opened her eyes and the room seemed to spin. A flicker of icy blue eyes appeared before her. She didn’t know them or the face they were set in. She did know that controlling her bloodlust all by herself wasn’t an option. Whoever the stranger before her was, he’d be very sorry very soon if he kept shuffling her toward the back of the club. More bodies crowded her and Kelly gasped, fighting with all her strength to keep her fangs from forming. The man’s pulse was strong, setting its own beat above that of the music. Opening her mouth, Kelly hissed as she found herself being shoved through a darkened hallway and out a door. Men she didn’t know circled her. Their skin was pale and their eyes reflected the moonlight. The expressions they wore on their faces warned of their intent. Her stomach cramped. The first man, with the icy blue eyes, shoved her hard, making her stumble into the arms of another. This one smelled of old blood. Vampire. Her eyes widened as she stared up at the man holding her. His shockingly blond hair was spiked about two inches off the top of his head. He smiled, revealing a set of fangs that could inflict maximum damage. His laugh sent chills up her spine. If it was just the two of them, Kelly would have stood a chance against him. His seven friends left the odds grossly out of herfavor . Blondie jerked her hard, making her wince. A cry died on her lips as he slammed her into the brick exterior wall of the club. Darkness ebbed at the edges of her vision as the bloodlust tookcenter stage. Her entire body seized with need and her fangs exploded in her mouth. Blondie’s expression was implacable as he shoved her harder against the unforgiving bricks. Her cheek scraped against them, causing her fangs to cut into her inner cheek. Blood welled in her mouth and the sting of the bricks bit at her cheek. Tears formed as she pushed in vain at Blondie. The bloodlust left her weak and even at full strength she couldn’t take all the men. “What do we have here?” Blondieasked, his accent German. Shoving a hand between her thighs, he dragged his fingernails down her sensitive skin. “I smell a shifter.” A chorus of inflammatory statements flowed from his buddies. Each saying something worse than the one next to them—taking about fucking the bitch in heat, doing her doggie style and making her beg. Blondie bent his head and licked her scraped cheek. “Mmm, therumor mill was working overtime with news of a vampire shacking up with a shifter. We didn’t believe until we saw it for ourselves.” He eased her thong aside. “Tell me what you have that a vampire could possibly want.”

Kelly’s stomach cramped again and she struggled against his hold with no success. He thrust against her, pinning her to the wall with his body. “Answer me, bitch.” A defiant smile swept over her face. “Fuck you.” He slapped her with an open hand but that didn’t minimize the pain. Her head snapped back, striking the wall. Spots formed around her and she fought to stay conscious. Passing out with them would be the wrong thing to do. “Answer me,” Blondie demanded, jerking her wrists up and bringing his mouth down to her neck. Kelly assumed he’d bite her. He didn’t. He sniffed and began to rub his body against hers. “I smell vampire on you too. Do you bark and suck blood? Huh? Bark for me, bitch.”

Yates walked through the crowd, positive he’d left Kelly in this spot. She was nowhere to be found. He held her drink and turned in a circle, thinking she might have gone to the ladies’ room. Drawing in a deep breath, he caught the scent of others like him. He stiffened. Yates! The sound of Kelly’s desperate plea reached him. Yates dropped the glass and rushed through the club, determined to find his mate. Rage boiled just below the surface and he almost felt bad for anyone foolish enough to harm Kelly. Two men blocked the entrance to a back hall, looking suspiciously around before staring at him. Fright shone in their eyes and Yates knew Kelly had gone that way. He charged them, pushing humans out of his way, headstrong in his mission to get to Kelly. The men tried to deny him access to the hallway. Yates thrust one away and into the crowd. The other he jerked off his feet and snarled, letting his eyes swirl. “Where is she?” The newly sired vampire cowered in fear and Yates instantly smelled urine. Disgust moved through him as the vampire pointed down the hall. He discarded the man by throwing him into the wall. Yates charged through the back door. The scene he came upon sickened him. Kelly was being pinned to the wall by a man who had his hand up her skirt. Her face was bloody and the start of bruises showed on her creamy skin. “Do you bark and suck blood?” the man was saying. “Huh? Bark for me, bitch.” Yates saw red as he went at the man. Vampires came at him from all directions. He twisted, allowing one to rush past him before taking hold of another’s head and yanking violently. The man’s neck snapped and Yates pushed him away, ready to take on the next. Two more advanced upon him. He used his shoulder to block the first assailant’s blow. Twisting, Yates continued to block the one while he punched out hard, connecting with the other vamp’s midsection. He took hold of the man he hit and shifted his weight to his left leg, extending the other and delivering a

wicked kick to the first man. They fell away and he found more men there, ready to take him on. Fury was his guiding light as he continued to fight them. Slightly winded but on an adrenaline high, Yates found himself face-to-face with the blond pinning Kelly to the wall. The man lifted his fingers to his nose and inhaled deeply. “She smells sweet,” he laughed, “for an animal.” Yates exploded, allowing the demon he carried within to have free rein over his body. It did what it did best—it inflicted pain.

Kelly slumped to the cold ground and blinked. Her eyes focused slowly and she found Yates there, literally ripping Blondie to pieces. Shock coursed through her at how easy a task it seemed to be for her husband. When he was done, his hands were bloody and his breathing was off the charts. His eyes swam with flecks of red and yellow. He stared around the darkened alley, looking as if he was hoping there was someone left to fight. Kelly’s stomach cramped once more and she closed her eyes tight, trying to shut out the sights around her. The smell of fresh blood assailed her and she whimpered. Yates was suddenly there, lifting her in his arms and pulling her head to his neck.“Drink.” Shaking her head, Kelly tried to be strong. She had no desire to cause him harm. “Drink,” he ordered. Giving in, she did. His blood coated her tongue and slid down her throat with ease, satisfying the bloodlust. She glanced over his shoulder, her mouth still to his neck and surveyed the alley. A couple of the men appeared to be alive, barely. The rest were gone. She eased her mouth off Yates and kissed the spot she’d bitten. “I’m sorry. I should have never asked you to—” “Shhh.”He held her closer. “You are not to blame for their ignorance.” “Are you hurt?” “No, but you are. I am sorry for letting them touch you,ma petite .” She caressed the back of his neck as he carried her down the alley toward the parking lot. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask about the bodies but she didn’t really want to hear his answer. He gingerly loaded her into his black sports car and buckled her in as if she were a child. “Sit tight.” “Yates.” Kelly took hold of his bloodied hand and planted a kiss on his knuckles. “Thank you.” He grunted, sounding disgusted. “Do not thank me. I should never have allowed harm to come to you to start with.”

There was no getting through to him and she knew it. She also knew he was most likely going to head back into that alley and inflict more damage upon the survivors. “Take me home. Please.” He exhaled loudly, his gaze sweeping toward the alley. She knew he wanted to follow after them but didn’t want to leave her. She held tightly to his hand. “Yates, callJax . He’ll come and handle it. I want you to take me home. I need to be held by you. And you don’t need to go back down there. You’ve taken care of them. They won’t ever be able to hurt anyone again. Please just come home with me and letJax deal with the cleanup.” He hesitated a second before nodding.“Very well.” He dug his cell phone from his back pocket and handed it to her. “Call him.” ShedialedJax’s number and waited for him to pick up. “Yeah?” “J-Jax,” her voice was low and shook slightly. “Kelly, what’s wrong? Did he hurt you?” “No.” She kept hold of Yates’ hand, mainly to keep him from rushing back into the alley. “He saved me from a group of vampires.” “From a what?”Jaxlet out a slew of curses, none of which were found in normal everyday conversation. Some of them were beyond creative. “Tell me he killed them.” A nervous chuckle slipped from her. After what they’d shared it was silly to be embarrassed but Kelly couldn’t help herself.“Uh, yeah. And then some.” “Are you hurt?” “I’m fine but I need your help.” “Name it.” She relayed directions to the club and filled him in on as many of the details as she could before hanging up and handing the phone back to Yates. He lifted her hand to his lips and planted a tiny kiss on it. “Can you ever forgive me?” Confused, she shook her head.“For what?” He looked flabbergasted.“For allowing harm to come to you.” Kelly groaned and yanked on his hand. “Shut up and kiss me.” “I cannot. You need time to…I need to assure you are—” She growled. “Kiss me,dammit .”

Yates bent and cracked his head on the car on the way in. It didn’t seem to faze him as he continued on, pressing his lips to hers. His tongue found hers and she moaned into his mouth. Yates somehow managed to get the majority of his massive upper body into the car as well. His hand dipped, caressing first her neck then her breasts. Kelly smiled against his mouth and squirmed slightly as Yates felt his way down her body. He moved from kissing her mouth and followed the path his hand had taken. A growl slipped through his lips as he kissed her stomach. “I hate his smell on you.” So did she but she remained silent, letting Yates do what he felt he had to. He inched her thighs apart and slipped his hand between them. Easing his finger into her, he made her gasp. She rocked against his hand and stared down, their gazes meeting. Frantic someone might seethem, Kelly glanced around the darkened parking lot. No one was there. Yates bent more and hiked her skirt up higher. His tongue came out and he licked a line up her slit, making her wiggle in delight against his face. “Yates,” she said breathlessly, running her hands into his hair, guiding his movements. He spread her folds and worked her clit with his tongue. He couldn’t be comfortable, wedged between her cunt and the dashboard but he remained there, pleasuring her until she came with a start. He maintained eye contact with her the entire time. When he was done, Kelly was spent and thankful she was in a seated position because she was damn sure she’d have fainted if she were standing. A clearing of a throat drew her attention past Yates toJax , who stood with his arms crossed near the front of the car. A wry grin appeared on his face. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” “Yes,” Yates blustered. Kelly rubbed the back of his neck and offered an impish smile. “Thank you for coming,Jax .” “Where’s the party?” She pointed down the alley and he nodded. He paused, raking a knowing look over Yates. “Tell me you banged them up good.” Yates smiled and it appeared genuine.“Very good. I’ll show you. Kelly, lock the car doors.” He pulled her skirt down and caressed her inner thigh before standing. Trust killing bad guys to forge a bond between men. “It was between that or a beer,” Yates said, reading her thoughts with ease. Kelly laughed, happy to see her husband’s mood had lifted. Epilogue

Kelly tried but failed to keep a straight face as Yates bent before her, camera in hand. He twisted the zoom lens, pressing the camera to his face as he snapped picture after picture. Reaching out with one hand, he nudged her knee slightly, changing the angle at which it rested and continued with his picture taking. The soft, ambient light pouring in from the newly installed windows in his studio gave him a halo effect and she snickered at the idea of her husband being an angel. He was anything but and she was damn happy of that fact. His bad boy ways both in and out of the bedroom kept her on her toes and looking forward to every moment she had with him. It had been two months since he’d swept in, forever changing her life. In those eight weeks, they’d grown as a couple, learning what made the other tick and tiny nuances making it more real. They were no longer strangers thrust together by the Fates. They were lovers, bound by something even deeper than destiny. Kelly smiled as Yates stepped over her, staring down at her through his camera viewfinder. He was a hulk of a man, yet he moved with a grace she envied. He stooped, putting the camera so close to her face that it took all she had to remain still. He pulled it aside and planted a kiss on her cheek. Pushing gently on his chest, she gave him a scolding look.“None of that now. It’s time to work.” He groaned playfully and continued with his photos. “Tilt your chin down.” She did. “Good, now lean your shoulders back more,” he instructed and Kelly obeyed.“Very good. Hold there.” Kelly listened to him, letting her mind wander over how muchhe’d come out of his shell in the time she’d known him. Yates no longer shut himself away from the world and kept to the darkness. He seemed to relish every opportunity he got to whisk her out and about the town. He found he could tolerate certain foods and drinks now that he hadn’t been able to before. Sharing a cup of coffee while sitting outside the café in the morning light had become one of hisfavorite things to do with her. It was so simple yet meant so much to him that Kelly couldn’t help but look forward to the act. Yates sighed, not sounding annoyed but pretending to be. “And what, my love, are you laughing about now?” She bit her lip and held a red sheet over the front of her body. Pointing at Yates’ formfitting white ribbed T-shirt, she suppressed a giggle. “You have latte on you again.” Yates glanced down at himself and snorted. His laugh was deep and rolled over her, exciting her. “So I do.” He shook his head. “For centuries I gave up cups. I’m still getting used to it all. Kind of like how you’re still getting used to feeding from me.” He rubbed his inner thigh and winced. Kelly howled with laughter as she remembered the look on his face when her tiny fangs caught his cock as she sucked on him. He’d shot up and out of the bed before calming himself and asking her to do it again. She had obliged, licking and sucking his cock until she’d swallowed every last drop of his cum. He was insatiable and had been ready to be in her again within seconds. He never seemed to tire of making love to her. Sometimes he was rough, tying her to the bed or chaining her to the wall. Kelly especially liked it when he produced a flogger during one of their many sexual escapades and proceeded to swat her for being naughty. He’d tenderly kissed each spot he’d spanked and given her orgasm after

mind-blowing orgasm. It was then she made up her mind to butt heads with him as often as possible in hopes of a repeat performance. Yates didn’t disappoint. In fact, he seemed to relish the opportunity to dominate her. “You liked it when I nicked your cock and you know it,” she said, letting the sheet slip slightly. Yates’ dark gaze moved over her exposed breast and he set his camera down. “I can’t remember a time one photo shoot has taken me over two months to complete.” “Well, if you’d stop ogling me and do your job, we’d get done a lot faster.” Goading him gave her a natural high. She knew he looked forward to it, too. He feigned shock as he covered the distance between them. Taking hold of the sheet, he growled as he yanked it away from her body. Kelly stared up at her husband and her body heated with need. He never ceased to amaze her. He was perfect in every way and so incredibly loving and caring that she was ashamed she’d grown up assuming vampires were the root of all evil. The ones who had attacked her outside the club were all too common and Yates had made it his mission to try to enlighten the rest of his kind. It wasn’t an easy undertaking and change wouldn’t come overnight—if at all. The same was true of her kind. Shifters weren’t exactly rushing to embrace vampires. Jax’s tolerance for Yates had increased and they’d even seemed to forge a bond of sorts. It was different but worked well for them so Kelly never questioned it.Jax’s visits had begun to decrease and she suspected it was because he felt like a third wheel. She had high hopes that he’d take the initiative and seek out his mate. She knew he was at odds with the rest of their group of shifters from taking her side on the matter of being mated to a vampire. It was more thanJax needed to do and she would be forever grateful to him for his support. “I would very much like your thoughts to be on me, notJax ,” Yates said, his voice low and even. Kelly stared up at him, no longer shocked by his ability to read her thoughts with ease. On occasion, she would read his as well. Whenever she did, he seemed to be thinking dirty thoughts. Yates licked his lower lip. “You make it difficult to think of much else,ma petite .” Yates undid his black slacks slowly, only serving to intensify her desire. She knew what awaited her. What pleasures he had to offer and she couldn’t wait to return them tenfold. He stopped just short of freeing himself and pulled his shirt off instead before returning to his pants. She never tired of soaking in the sight of him without a shirt on.Sheer perfection. Unable to help herself, Kelly leaned forward and began to work his pants down his legs. The minute his rigid cock sprang forth from its neatly trimmed thatch of black curls, she forgot about getting Yates’ pants down and took hold of his shaft. His manly smell surrounded her, turning her on even more. Her pussy flooded with cream and she held him tighter. He cupped her cheek as she licked a line from base to tip and then did short, fast swipes of her tongue over his cock head. Yates tipped his head back and moaned. She continued to toy with him, licking, nibbling and raking her fangs lightly over the sides of his shaft. She’d learned what drove him mad and this was just one of the things she enjoyed doing in an attempt to push him over the edge. She hadn’t even gotten him into her mouth before he was lifting her high into the air and impaling her on his cock. Pleasure tore through her as he speared her pussy. Kelly wrapped her legs around Yates’ waist

and let him guide their movement as he took hold of her ass cheeks, lifting her up and down the length of his cock. He captured her lips with his own, his tongue mirroring his shaft, dipping in and out of her. Kelly caught hold of it and sucked as she would his cock and animalistic sounds came from them both as he continued to fuck her with sweet passion. She clung to him as shesavored his kisses. A fire lit deep within her belly as her pussy began to milk him. Kelly bit lightly on Yates’ tongue, drawing only a tiny amount of blood as she came with a start. His thrusts bordered on painful as he slammed into her, filling her with his seed as her body continued tightening on him. Drawing back slightly, Kelly laughed with nervous energy as she kissed hisjawline . “Mmm, thank you.” He pressed his forehead to hers and his thoughts assailed her. Kelly knew it was unintentional because she felt his attempts at holding her mentally at bay. They failed, but still, Yates tried to keep his secrets. I love you so very much. Give me hope.Even a small amount. Anything, I beg of you. It’s killing me not knowing how you feel about me. “Tum’aimes?” he asked out loud. She thought it best to address his unspoken concerns first. She planted a chaste kiss on his lips. “Yates, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life. I wake scared you won’t be there next to me and that I’ll find out this is all a dream. I’m afraid to share my feelings with you because I’m terrified if I do, it will all somehow go away.” His mouth crushed hers and she felt his cock harden almost instantly. The next thing she knew, they were crashing through his backdrop and onto the floor. Yates cradled her, breaking her fall as he continued fucking her. Kelly clung to him as he rode her body to his peak. She cried out, digging her fingernails into his upper back. Yates’ body stiffened and he came in waves, deep within her. When he drew back, he wore a lopsided smile. “You love me?” Rolling her eyes, she laughed and slapped his shoulder lightly. “Of course I do. Why else would I put up with your angst?” “My angst?” She snorted and he growled playfully.“Careful, Kelly. I will punish you if you’re bad.” Visions of the flogger danced in her head.“Promise?” He nodded before pressing a kiss to her lips.“Mmm,jet’aime . I love you.” She giggled but felt as if she could fly hearing the words fall from his lips. Yates wagged his brows. “All you have to do is ask and I’ll make it so.” “Wait, make what so?” she asked, confused.

Cool energy buzzed around her and the next thing Kelly knew, she and Yates were lifting off the floor and levitating at least a foot above it. Kelly held tight to him and he chuckled. “I won’t drop you. I couldn’t stand the idea of you being hurt.” “Good to know,” she said, kissing his cheek. “Mmm, we really should finish that shoot.” “That,” his tongue feathered out and over her lower lip, “or we could stay right here and play more.Isn’t it about time for your fertility cycle to start?” It was. She wasn’t sure how she’d forgotten about it but she had. She nodded and stared into his dark eyes. “Have you changed your mind?” “Have you?” Frustrated, she let out a long breath. “Yates.” He grinned.“Of course not. I still want to have a family with you.” “Then we’ll let nature take its course?” “Sounds like a plan to me.” He kissed her. “For now we can practice.” “C’estenforgeantqu’ondevientforgeron—practice makes perfect.” He licked her lip seductively. “Mmm, and don’t you dare think I didn’t notice your mind wandering to me and the flogger.” “I liked the clothespins too.” “Too bad you’ve been a good girl.” Yates kissed her again. “Though I could invent rules you’ve broken.” “Would you?” she asked, hopeful. His rich, warm laugh made her smile. He levitated higher, making her stomach drop. Giggling, she shook her head and cupped his cheeks. “I said I love you, now be a gentleman and put me down. I don’t think my stomach was cut out for defying gravity.” He lowered them to the floor with ease. “But is your heart cut out for loving me, Mrs.Colyer ?” Kelly did a rather long blink as she held tight to Yates. Regardless of whether they were floating on air or holding one another on the floor, she would forever feel elevated with him by her side.“For all eternity, husband.”

About Mandy M. Roth

I grew up fascinated by creatures that go bump in the night. From the very beginning I was odd and creative—a combo every mother hopes for. After studying art all the way through school, I majored in it at college. One rather unexpected child later, I changed my major and finished with a great balance of art and business. I’m working on my MBA with a concentration in marketing but it’s taken a back seat while I plug away at the keyboard. I live in Ohio with my husband and three boys. They definitely keep me busy. Between convincing one he really doesn’t need to have his eyebrow pierced, listening to the middle one’s philosophy on life and pulling the youngest off the countertop, I do manage to eke in a very small amount of writing time during the day. More often than not, my writing is done from 8 pm until 3 am. If the following years are half as good as my first one in writing, I’ll be a happy gal! I’m doing something I love, meeting tons of new people, have the greatest readers in the world and the support of my family. The only thing I still don’t have is that hotlycan on a motorcycle. I’m working on it, though.

Mandy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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