How to get her from here to his bed? “Daniela… I… you have blooded me.” Even to himself, he sounded accusing.
“You don’t sound too thrilled about that.”
“Because I’m not.” Damn it, where’s my smoothness? He’d never in memory said the wrong thing to women, had always been able to sense exactly what they wanted to hear.
I have no idea what this one wants to hear.
Her expression was inscrutable. At one instant she looked shy and vulnerable, at another ravenous. He couldn’t read her, could hardly think.
Would she run? If so, what would he do?
He tried to moderate his tone. “I wouldn’t have chosen to involve you in this, but I have had no control over it.” Still his anger thrummed in his words.
She blinked at him. “Lines like this got you laid as a human?”
“Yes. No.” He scowled.
“I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your brain is scrambled right about now, and I’m probably the first female you’ve ever encountered that you don’t know what to do with. I’m familiar with your reputation, Murdoch.”
“How? I don’t—”
“Let’s talk after there’s no chance of you blowing this with me.” When had the Valkyrie’s voice grown so sultry? “So, do you want to go see if you can’t work that”—she pointed at his erection—”out?”
His jaw slackened. “You will stay until I can spend?” Say yes… Say yes…
Her gaze was lascivious, dancing over his body, all traces of the shy Valkyrie gone. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
When she tossed him a towel and turned toward his bedroom, the legendary Murdoch Wroth dumbly followed, tripping over his own feet.
CHAPTER 8
Any self-respecting valkyrie would be figuring out how to kill the vampire. Being a Bride was considered shameful, unless you murdered the offending leech—which was the usual protocol.
But Danii? She was exaggerating the swish of her hips as the newly blooded vampire followed her to his bed.
Playing with fire. It had a totally new meaning for Danii.
In a husky rasp from directly behind her, he said, “I thought you would run from me.” His voice was just at her ear, giving her delicious shivers. He was so close she thought his erection would prod her, but he’d slung the towel around his waist.
“Uh-uh.” She knelt on his bed, then curled her forefinger in invitation.
At once, he dropped to his knees before her, running his gaze over her.
Danii wasn’t shy, didn’t know many immortals who were. And considering how long she’d been waiting for a night like this— fantasizing about it—she’d be damned if she let her lack of expertise detract from the experience.
Yet even now, he didn’t know how to proceed. “I want to seduce you… but I can’t kiss you… can’t stroke you.”
She’d stumped a living legend. Danii was just contrary enough to be gratified by this. “There’s no need to seduce me. I’ve already signed my name on your roster.”
He frowned at that, then said, “But there must be a way for me to have you.”
She shook her head sadly. She’d consulted the witches and had been told that one of them might be able to help once she came into her powers, which could take hundreds of years. She’d begged the Valkyrie soothsayer Nïx to foresee a way around this curse of coldness. Nïx had told her to simply accept herself and everything would work out.
That’d been eight centuries ago.
Suspicion tinged his expression. “If there was a way, would you tell me?”
She shook her head. “Wouldn’t have to. You’d already be inside me.”
His lips parted, displaying his white teeth and fangs. “Another Valkyrie teasing a vampire.”
“No, I’m not teasing. I’m just imagining it.”
At that, his shaft jerked between them, distending against the towel.
“Looks like it wants attention.” She didn’t ogle penises in person every day, not even every decade. “The towel off, please. I’d like to see it.” Up close and at her leisure.
He raised his brows, but did reach for the towel. Once he bared himself, Danii’s gaze descended along the trail of crisp black hair that led to the base of his erection. His thick length jutted boldly from his body, the crown swollen and taut. Perfection. “Will you stroke it in front of me, vampire?”
At her words, he made a guttural sound, and a drop of moisture beaded on the head.
She stared as he cupped his shaft in his palm, holding her breath as he slowly closed his fingers over it.
Finally he gave it a stroke. The sight made her go soft, her sex getting even wetter. Her nipples stiffened beneath his T-shirt. And he noticed.
“Show me your breasts.” When she pulled off her borrowed shirt, he inhaled sharply. “So beautiful.” He reached his free hand forward to touch one, but she flinched before he could. With a curse, he closed his hand and drew it back. “Too easy to forget.”
“You can’t forget, vampire. If we must touch, it’s got to be brief. Otherwise…”
He dragged his gaze from her chest to her face. “Don’t want to hurt you.”
Tenderness bloomed anew within her, along with the strongest desire she’d ever felt. “I believe that.”
“You’ll touch them for me.”
It wasn’t a question. Powerless to deny him, she raised her hands to her breasts. As she petted them, pressing them together, his eyes grew even more excited, frenzied even.
“That’s it, Daniela.”
She knew her breasts were small, but right now they felt heavy, lush. When he stared at the peaks and ran his tongue over one of his fangs, she gave a little moan.
“Let me see you play with your nipples.”
Danii had lots of experience touching herself. She brushed her thumbs over them again and again until they puckered tight.
“Daniela!” His fist moved faster. “Spread your knees.” Once she did, he commanded, “Touch your sex.”
Without hesitation, she slid her hand down her belly, slipping a finger to her folds.
His breaths were coming more quickly. “Are you wet?”
“Very,” she murmured.
Another groan. “I wish I could taste you, lick you.” His voice had grown huskier. “Show me where you’d want me to kiss you.”
Getting caught up, she spread her knees even wider, then circled a finger over her clitoris. “Here.”
“Slower. Rub it slower.”
She lazily flicked, gasping, “Like this?”
“Ah, God, yes!” His eyes were awash in black as he stared, his fist pumping faster.
“What would you want me to do to you?” What would a master seducer like?
With his free hand, he drew the pad of his forefinger along the sensitive slit in the crown. “You’d run your tongue over me here.” When more drops of moisture slicked the swollen head, he spread them around with his thumb. “Tasting me, before you sucked my shaft between your lips.”
The idea that he wanted her to know his taste made her mouth water. She yearned to lick him there, then to take that broad crown into her mouth, suckling it so deep…
When her tongue dabbed at her lip, he groaned, “Almost don’t want to know what you’re thinking.”
He seemed to be going out of his head with lust, stroking himself over and over. Gaze locked on her busy fingers, he fondled his heavy testicles with his other hand. When his brawny chest heaved with exertion, sweat lovingly trailed over the rises and falls of his bulging muscles—the most erotic scene she’d ever witnessed. He switched hands as one arm grew weak.
Visibly frustrated, he reached out. “Just want to touch your hair.” She held herself still for him, and he wrapped a long strand around his palm. Bringing it to his face, he inhaled deeply. “Your scent drives me mad.” He made hoarse sounds of pain, but he still couldn’t come.