“Upstairs,” he said, his voice dropping to a growl that sent heat straight to my cock. “Now. Before I change my mind.”
Chapter 18
Archer
Iwas rock hard before I even got to the stairs.
The anticipation coursing through my veins felt almost electric as I followed Valen up the narrow staircase, my eyes drawn to the way his body moved ahead of me. Every step felt deliberate, charged with the promise of what was about to happen between us. The wine had helped steady my nerves downstairs, but now all I could focus on was the heat building in my core and the way Valen’s scent seemed to wrap around me in the confined space.
His bedroom was at the end of the hall, and when he pushed open the door, I was struck by how intimate the space felt. Deep burgundy walls, a massive four-poster bed with dark wooden posts, and more framed photographs scattered on surfaces throughout the room. Candles flickered on the nightstand, casting dancing shadows that made everything feel dreamlike.
“Second thoughts?” Valen asked, turning to face me as I stepped into the room. There was still time to back out written in his expression, even as his amber eyes burned with barely restrained hunger.
“None,” I said firmly, closing the distance between us. “I want this, Valen. I want you to feed from me. I want to understand what it feels like to nourish you.”
His hands came up to frame my face, and I could see the last vestiges of his control wavering. “Once we start, I won’t be able to stop until I’m fully fed,” he warned, his voice rough with need. “It could take hours. Are you prepared for that kind of intensity?”
Instead of answering with words, I pressed my lips to his, pouring all my want and determination into the kiss. He responded immediately, his mouth moving against mine with a desperate hunger that made my knees weak. I could taste the wine on his tongue, feel the sharp edge of his fangs as our kiss deepened.
His hands moved to my shirt, fingers working at the buttons with vampire speed and efficiency. I helped him, my own hands fumbling with the hem of his sweater until we were both pulling at fabric, desperate to eliminate the barriers between us.
“Slow down,” he murmured against my neck, pressing kisses along my pulse point that made me shiver. “I want to savor every inch of you this time.”
The promise in his words sent heat shooting straight to my cock. I felt his fangs graze my throat, not quite breaking skin but enough to make me gasp and arch against him.
“Valen,” I breathed, not even sure what I was asking for. But I wanted it all, anything he would give me.
He walked me backward toward the bed, his hands mapping the planes of my chest as my shirt fell away. When the backs of my knees hit the mattress, he paused, amber eyes drinking in the sight of me like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
“You’re exquisite,” he said, and the reverence in his voice made my heart flutter. “Absolutely fucking beautiful, Archer.”
The heat in his voice, and the way he was looking at me like I was something wonderful and dangerous all at once, made me bold. I reached for him, my hands finding the waistband of his jeans.
“Then show me,” I whispered, my fingers working at his belt buckle. “Show me what it means to feed a vampire properly.”
He caught my hands in his, stilling my movements. For a moment I thought he was going to stop this again, pull back behind those careful boundaries. But then he brought my hands to his mouth, pressing kisses to my palms that made me shiver.
“Lie back,” he said, his voice dropping to that commanding tone that never failed to make my cock throb. “Let me worship you the way you deserve, darling.”
I did as he asked, settling back against the soft pillows as he stood at the foot of the bed. The way he looked at me, amber eyes burning with hunger, made me feel exposed in the best possible way. Like he could see straight through to my soul and liked what he found there.
He stripped off his sweater in one fluid motion, revealing the lean muscle and pale skin I’d been fantasizing about for weeks. Then he was on the bed with me, his cool hands mapping every inch of my torso like he was memorizing the world’s most exquisite sculpture.
“I’m going to taste every part of you,” he murmured against my collarbone, his fangs grazing the sensitive skin there. “Every freckle, every scar. I want to know your body better than you know it yourself.”
The thought made me gasp, my back arching as he pressed hot kisses down my chest. When his mouth found my nipple, I couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped me. The sensation was electric, sending jolts of pleasure straight to my already aching cock.
“That’s it,” he praised, his voice muffled against my skin. “Let me hear how good I make you feel, darling. I want to feed off every sound you make.”
He worked his way lower, his mouth and tongue leaving a trail of fire across my abdomen. When he reached the waistband of my pants, he looked up at me, seeking permission even though we both knew I was already completely lost to him.
“Please,” I breathed, lifting my hips to help as he worked my pants and underwear down my legs.
The cool air of the room hit my flushed skin, but Valen’s hands were there immediately, warming me with his touch. He settled between my thighs, and the sight of him there, amber eyes dark with hunger as he looked at my cock, nearly undid me completely.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, pressing kisses to my inner thighs that made me tremble. “Absolutely perfect.”
When his mouth finally closed around my cock, I cried out, my hands fisting in the sheets. The sensation was overwhelming. I loved the wet heat of his mouth, the careful pressure of his fangs that never quite broke skin, and the way he seemed to know exactly how much suction would drive me crazy.
