He pushed her toward it, higher and higher, his hard thrusts driving her up the bed with the force of his movements. Something had been unleashed in him. Desperate. Frightening. That danger she'd sensed before loomed. He buried his face at her neck, teeth and tongue caressing her there.
He craved the blood. She wanted to give it to him, let him suck her dry if only to prolong the blissful torment impaling her.
He groaned against her neck, sucking at the crook, where she'd been injured before. Maggie moaned, her inner muscles rippling as the pleasure built to a crescendo of fury.
She clutched him, grasping his cock as the orgasm sizzled along her nerves. Screaming, she was helpless to it, crying out again and again as waves of searing pleasure pounded inside her.
Her mind closed down, embracing the feeling. It poured through her, making her cunt convulse on the power.
He arched his head back, shuddering, driving into her one last time as his semen erupted inside her quaking pussy. Her vision went dim and she closed her eyes, going lightheaded from the peak of it, a pinnacle she had never dreamed possible.
" Ma Coeur. Amour,” he said, his breathing hard, labored against her neck as he collapsed on top of her and held her, pleasure shuddering through him into her.
After a moment, he withdrew his flaccid length with a soft smacking sound and rolled, bringing them onto their sides as he rocked her close, sheltering her body. Maggie snuggled close, overwhelmed and unable to speak. He whispered French into her ear, lovingly kissing the shell of it, her neck and cheek, anywhere he could reach. His hands moved tenderly over her backside, through her hair and along her shoulders.
She had always been ashamed of her past and how stupid she'd been. But Danior made her forget it.
Near him, all she could think about was how he made her feel, and he made her feel beautiful and womanly.
She felt new, as though by accepting him into herself, she'd been remade into another woman. Stronger.
Someone capable and worthy of love.
Her lips curled in a smile and she kissed his chin, already warming to his tender caresses, craving more of him.
Chapter Eight
Danior studied Maggie as she slept the deep, dreamless sleep of the truly sated. His lips curled faintly on that thought in self-deprecating amusement, but she'd left him in no doubt that he had thoroughly pleased her. He was weary himself after making love to her most of the day, but too tense and anxious to sleep.
She still didn't fully grasp that her own life was in as much danger as his, but then she didn't realize that the council was ruthless, and merciless. As beautiful as she was, they would not hesitate to destroy her.
Their rules would be maintained. There were no exceptions.
He'd known that even when he agreed to take her. He'd known, sooner or later, they would learn of it and Maggie's life would be forfeit as well as his own for protecting her.
She would have to accept it. For whatever reason he'd felt compelled to protect her, to begin with—for amusement, or merely a whim—there was no doubt in his mind why that had changed from mild interest to a desperate obsession.
He couldn't go on without her and he had no intention of doing so even if he had to take her by force.
There was no place inside the US safe for them now. The council might have no control outside of New Orleans, but they need only contact the council where ever he might think to go to, and he and Maggie would be forced to flee again.
They must leave for Europe. He could make arrangements for a night flight to New York, but they would have to travel by ship from there since there were no flights that could take them to Europe overnight.
It didn't matter. Once they were outside the US, they would be beyond the control and jurisdiction of the council.
He decided to allow her to rest while he made the arrangements. He had fake passports made, using a scanned copy of her driver's license for hers. He emailed the information to X with instructions to meet him at the airport. He'd used this man, X, in the past, and he was trustworthy enough only in that he could be bought into silence for a price.
They were trusting their lives to him, to make sure that X wouldn't betray them, perhaps for more money, or the threat at losing his life.
There was no way around it, unfortunately. This late in the game, he couldn't afford to shop around for someone else.
Danior called and ordered their tickets to New York and booked passage on the first available ship to Europe. At this time of year, their options were limited to the Mediterranean. He had connections there, however, and would be able to find refuge until he found them a place to make their new home.
Satisfied he'd done all he could at the moment, he crawled back into bed with Maggie, nestling her against his side as he stared up at the ceiling, going over his plans. He wished he could have taken a ship directly from the port here, but it was too risky taking a smaller vessel, and there was nothing else available except a few cargo ships, which wouldn't take passengers regardless. No, there was no choice but to fly to New York. Airport security after the attack there would force him to go completely weaponless, but it also meant their chances of being attacked there were slim. He had only to get there before running into trouble to get her aboard safely.
He prayed that his luck had not run out.
"Maggie."
Something tickled her nose. “Unnh,” she complained, rolling over. Sore muscles winced at the movement, and she groaned. “Oh. I think I've been injured,” she mumbled, curling into a ball.
"As much as I would love to kiss those aches away, we have no time now. You've slept the day away.
Dusk approaches."
Maggie bolted upright, stifling a groan as she put her weight on her bottom. “Why'd you let me sleep so late?"
He smiled, looking incredibly sexy despite the danger looming. She almost suspected he was putting on a faÇade to keep her from panicking. “I couldn't bear to wake you."
Maggie rolled her eyes, smiling as she got out of bed and hurriedly woke herself up. Her thighs were sticky from their lovemaking, and she bathed herself off with a rag, washed her face, and brushed her teeth with the spare toothbrush he'd bought for her.
She changed from her nightshirt into the leather clothing and boots. After she finished, she came out of the bathroom and found him gone.
A brief moment of panic assailed her, but she quashed it, hurrying out and down the stairs. She released a pent-up breath to find him downstairs waiting for her.
"It's safe to go out now. Hurry,” he said, taking her hand as he led her out the back. When they reached the door, he stopped, seeming to listen for some sound she couldn't hear. Apparently, he heard nothing to alarm him, and he opened the door, guiding her to the draped car.
He pulled the tarp off, revealing a silver Dodge Viper. Clicking off the alarm, he opened to door for her and shut it once she was inside.
The interior was roomier than she'd thought it would be, and she knew he had to have had it custom built for his height to accommodate his legs.
Getting in, he started the car and revved the engine, flashing her a quick grin as he put it in gear and drove away from the dark mansion.
The drive passed in taut silence. He maneuvered the streets easily, reaching the airport with almost anticlimactic ease. She couldn't believe it had been so easy to get away.
"We're not free yet,” he said, as if reading her thoughts, which she realized he could if he wanted to.
As they passed through the electronic doors, and man pushed off from a column and strode purposefully toward them. Maggie tensed, her breathing quickening. This was it. They'd been found.