Her body felt as though it was on fire, and she wanted nothing more than to be naked and feel her chest press against his. Breaking the kiss, Maya whipped up to a sitting position while Shane watched through a dark, hooded gaze. His fingers gripped her hips, holding her still as she unzipped the top of her catsuit and peeled it off to her waist, revealing her bare breasts. The cool metal of the necklace lay against her skin, and the teardrop-shaped emerald lingered along the curve of her bosom. It was a bold move for Maya to bare herself to Shane, but even as she did it, she knew he’d already seen the most vulnerable parts of her.
“Bellísima,” Shane whispered reverently as his hands trailed over her bare flesh.
His fingers curled around her waist briefly before he brushed his knuckles lightly beneath the curve of her breasts. Holding her stare, he cupped her breasts in both hands and ran his thumbs over her nipples. Maya gasped as licks of fire flickered through her body from the friction of his flesh rushing along hers. She threw her head back and reveled in the waves of white-hot pleasure that rippled through her body—and then she started to move.
Slowly at first, she rocked her hips, pressing herself against his erection while Shane continued to tease her nipples with his talented fingers. Sounds of pure pleasure escaped Maya’s lips as the combination of sensations swamped her and the sweet, tightening coil of the orgasm built. Sensing that she was reaching the edge, Shane sat up and linked his arms around her waist before dipping his head and taking the rosy peak of a breast in his mouth.
Maya cried out and grabbed Shane’s hair with both hands, holding him to her as he teased one swollen nipple and then the other. As another wave of searing carnal pleasure shot through her body, Maya’s fangs erupted and she knew what she needed.
Blood. But not just anyone’s… She needed his.
With the specially tuned instincts of a bloodmate and the intuition of a remarkably tender lover, Shane lifted his head and curled one hand around the back of her neck. Maya linked her legs around his waist, held his stare, and gasped when pressure hit her in just the right spot. Writhing in his embrace, she leaned in and trailed her tongue along his neck, just below his ear. His voice tumbled into her mind on a rush: Taste me, Maya. Take what is meant only for you.
Shane’s arms tightened around Maya, holding her body firmly against his, her hips pumping and grinding against him. As the sweet, torturous pangs of desire surged, Maya sank her fangs into his neck and the orgasm ripped through her with shattering strength. In that moment, the world fell away and all she could see, feel, or hear was him. Shane surrounded her, filled her, and lit her up from the inside out as images of the centuries he’d lived roared through her mind.
Power. Death. Duty. Honor. Loneliness.
When the bone-melting orgasm subsided, Maya licked the wound closed and went limp in Shane’s embrace. As she rested her head on his shoulder, her body trembled with sheer exhaustion, and for the first time she could remember, Maya knew what it felt like to be cherished. Shane gave her what she needed but took nothing. He put her happiness and pleasure above his own so that she’d feel safe. Tears stung the back of her eyes, and the magnitude of his generosity settled over her.
Without a word, Shane lay back on the bed and pulled her into the shelter of his body. Her eyes fluttered closed, and Maya thought about all of the images and feelings she absorbed from Shane’s blood memories. The one constant in his four-hundred-year existence was his dedication to being a sentry and to the Presidium. He was a soldier. No family. No love. Only duty.
Could this man, this ancient warrior, give her his heart, or was she merely part of his duties? Maya was finally repairing her broken spirit, but she didn’t think she could survive a broken heart.
Chapter 9
Shane let Maya sleep, even though the sun had set an hour ago and he knew he should wake her up to start combat training. A grin cracked his face as he stood in the moonlit yard behind the massive house and laid a series of weapons out on the weathered picnic table. Based on what he could sense, Maya wasn’t in the dreamscape. He’d watched her while she slept and sensed the deep, leaden sleep of a vampire but absolutely no signs of a nightmare or dream of any kind.
Having changed into a T-shirt and jeans, he felt surprisingly relaxed and was truly looking forward to teaching Maya how to fight. He’d trained plenty of other vampires, but Maya was obviously special. Based on the way she handled herself in the dreamscape, when she finally stood up to her fears, he suspected she’d be one hell of a warrior.
Shane took stock of the various throwing weapons he’d taken from Xavier’s place and readied the area for Maya’s training. He placed targets on the trunks of three moss-covered oak trees that lined the edge of the spacious backyard. To the left were the calm, moon-dappled waters of the bayou swamp and to the right was a natural landscape of trees, bushes, and low-lying plants. He could hear Lottie banging around in her kitchen, and based on the aroma drifting through the open window, she was making herself dinner.
The vibration of his cell phone interrupted his thoughts, and his gut clenched when he saw that it was Olivia’s phone number. He’d texted her once they’d arrived safely, but he hadn’t spoken to her yet. Guilt tugged at him when he realized she must have had the meeting with Horace and his pack last night, but he hadn’t given it a second thought until this minute. All he could think about was Maya and her well-being. Not exactly the focused calculation of a sentry.
He swore and swiped the touch screen to answer the call.
“Nice to talk to you too.” Olivia’s teasing tone came through the line loud and clear.
“Sorry.” Shane pressed his fingers against his eyes in an effort to squelch his embarrassment. “It wasn’t meant for you.”
“Then I guess it was meant for Maya? It couldn’t be for Lottie, because if you speak to her like that, she’ll curse your sorry ass.”
“No.” Shane cleared his throat and looked out over the moonlit waters. “Did you meet with Horace and his pack?”
“We did,” she said on a sigh. “It was one hell of a night, and you would have loved all the tension in the air, but we managed to get through it without any fur or fangs flying. Besides, they were totally outgunned.” She let out a short laugh. “I thought Horace would piss himself when he saw the firepower the girls, Pete, and Damien were carrying.”
“Did Horace and his pack come to the meeting armed?”
“Of course they did, but they don’t have Xavier creating awesome shit all the time—and you were right about Rat. He’s definitely in bed with the wolves, but I’m not sure why.”
“Rat was with them?”
“Yes. The slippery son of a bitch escorted them to the meeting and acted like some sort of self-appointed liaison between our races. He’s probably in it for some kind of financial gain. Anyway, Horace is willing to let bygones be bygones and overlook your attack on him…if…” Olivia trailed off, hesitating to say the rest.
“If?” Shane asked.
“If we give him Maya.”
“What do you mean, ‘if we give him Maya’?” Shane bit out, his entire body going rigid with fury. “What the fuck is he talking about? That furry piece of garbage will not lay another hand on her.”
“Calm down, Shane.” Olivia’s voice was calm and clear but firm. “It’s a ridiculous demand, and I’m not handing Maya over to him or anyone else. I told the little bastard that I was well aware that he got rough with Maya and refused to let her leave, and that’s why you had to intervene. He and his pack denied it vehemently, of course. They said that you started the entire thing and accosted a member of the royal family with no provocation.”