Oh my God, I was right—it was blood. It’s acting on me like…like Vampire Viagra. Great—just great.
“I didn’t sign up for this,” I say, but my body’s betraying me yet again. My head tips back as his fingers trail lower…across my collarbone…down between my breasts.
His hand is large and warm and he seems to be an expert on how to touch me—seriously he could teach a few of my ex-boyfriends a lesson. He cups one breast as if he’s simply making sure I’m clean, but then his thumb brushes over my nipple. A lightning bolt shoots through me and I gasp at the intense pleasure.
“So sensitive,” he murmurs, almost to himself. He strokes again, slower, more deliberate, until my right peak is tight and aching. “Beautiful.”
I’m moaning as his gentle touch sends sparks of pleasure through my whole body, but I know I can’t keep giving in this way.
I grab his wrist under the water.
“Stop! Don’t…don’t do that.” But my voice doesn’t sound convincing, not even to me.
Lucian leans closer, his breath hot at my ear.
“Don’t lie to me, lovely one. Your body craves me as surely as I crave you. You long for my touch on your skin. You want to let me suck these luscious nipples.” He squeezes briefly, making me gasp. “You want to spread your thighs and let me taste that sweet little pussy.”
My pulse pounds. The bastard’s right. I do crave more, though every part of my brain is screaming at me to shove him away. Because hello—he’s the enemy! He had me abducted and he won’t let me go! So why am I reacting like this?
I don’t know, but I can’t seem to stop.
Lucian seems perfectly happy to take advantage of my inability to stop giving in to my body’s cravings for him. He leans closer until his lips brush my shoulder…then the sensitive side of my neck.
I freeze—is he going to do it? Is he going to bite me now?
But instead, his lips just linger at my pulse, warm and sweet as he presses kisses up and down along my vulnerable throat, sending shivers racing down my spine.
Oh God, why can’t I stop him? I can’t remember the last time I was this hot—this needy. My pussy is so wet and ready I feel molten from the waist down and all he’s done is kiss my neck and tease one of my nipples a little. When did I turn into such a cheap date?
The heat at my core spirals tighter, my body clenching with need. I hate myself for it but I can’t seem to help it.
“This is insane,” I moan. “I shouldn’t want this. You’re—you’re some kind of vampire mob boss, and I’m… I’m just?—”
“My Queen,” he cuts in softly, pulling back just enough to look at me. His eyes glow faintly red. I see hunger blazing there, but his voice is steady… controlled. “You are mine, Julia. And when you are ready, I will prove to you that surrender can be bliss.”
I should snap at him. I should call him out for giving me his blood without telling me it’s some kind of aphrodisiac. Instead, my thighs press together again under the water, heat building so fast inside it makes me dizzy.
I glare at him, desperate to cover my reaction.
“You dosed me. That’s the only reason I’m feeling this way. It’s just whatever’s in your blood messing with my head.”
He chuckles darkly.
“My blood caused nothing you weren’t already capable of feeling. It only revealed the truth.” His thumb strokes once more over my nipple, making my back arch despite myself. Then, with a low growl, he pushes away, gripping the edge of the tub as if the restraint takes all his strength.
The sudden absence makes me shiver. Relief and disappointment war inside me.
Lucian draws a slow breath, the muscles in his jaw tight.
“Rest now,” he says finally. “Your body needs time to recover. But soon, little one…soon, I’ll show you what it truly means to be mine.”
I sink lower into the steaming water, my heart hammering, my skin still tingling everywhere he touched me.
And I can’t help thinking that if this really is a dream…God help me, I don’t know if I want to wake up.
Lucian drains the tub one more time, then lifts me out of it like I weigh nothing.
He sets me on my feet and starts drying me all over. Then he tosses the damp towel away and gets another one. The towel he wraps me in is enormous and hot from some hidden warmer—it swallows me in softness.
