She pulled open the door and found him standing across the hall. He stared above her head at some indiscriminate part of the wall. Vera grinned and launched herself at him, catching him with her arms and legs.
He cut a sharp look to her and she knew she’d moved to fast for him to see. His hands moved to her waist, whether to touch her or push her away she didn’t know. She looped her arms around his neck and pressed kisses over the perpetual stubble that always shaded his cheek. She kissed his chin, across his nose, the corner of his mouth. Slowly, the hands on her waist loosened their tight grip, became gentle, caressing.
“You don’t know what you’re doing.” She kissed a path along his ear before answering. “Yes I do.” He smelled so good, like rugged man, and he tasted even better.
“I’m not going to apologize for what I said, because I was right. I’ve never been in a relationship, Vera. Never. Don’t you get that? I’m glad you asked me about my past, because I can’t escape it. I’m just like him.”
Vera kissed him to shut up him. He let loose a feral growl and kissed her back, hard and wet.
“You’re forgetting to add a few things to your equation, lumara. One, that it isn’t your past that defines you but the choices you make now. Two, you are nothing like your father in that regard; and three, you could never beat me in a fight.”
His brief, choked laughter was like music to her ears. He titled his head back and stared up at the ceiling, and she wondered whether he realized that his hands were trailing gently up and down her back.
“Don’t forget that I’m not human.” His laughter died slowly and he looked down at her with warmth and something else. Hope was it? Or maybe her own stupid was heart was making her see what she wanted to see.
“What does ‘lumara’ mean? I’ve never heard the word before.” Heat rushed to Vera’s face, she ducked before he could see it. She hopped down and started down the hallway.
“Come on, we have to go. The meeting will begin soon.” Masculine laughter teased her ears, and then she was backed up against a hard male body. His dark scent filled her nostrils and she arched back into him. One big hand spread over her stomach, trapping her.
“We’re not going anywhere until you tell me what it means, baby. Tell me or I’ll put you on your knees right here and make you suck my cock.”
Vera choked in surprise...and excitement as images of doing just that flashed through her mind, wetted her pussy. She licked her lips, rubbing back against him. She found the rock hard length of his cock and ground her ass against him. His sharp intake of breath was more music to her ears. His fingers moved down, lifted her shirt an inch, then teased the soft skin inside her jeans. Her stomach hollowed to make room for his hand to dive further, touch her where she was crying honey and swollen.
“That’s hardly a threat,” she gasped, her voice sounding like she’d spent all night at a concert screaming. His hand, slowly, achingly, moved down until one finger touch the top of her pussy. Vera moaned and lifted her arms up and around his neck, her breasts arching out like an offering as her ass thrust back against him.
“Tell me, baby, and I’ll fill your ass with my cock tonight. I’ll lick your creamy pussy until you gush all over my mouth, then I’ll lick it up and make you come again while I fuck your pussy.” The tip of his finger prodded her clit gently, a bare touch. His other hand found a breast and cupped her, shaping her mound. She struggled between two worlds. One of pleasure, the other logic. His finger didn’t move any further, was a clear reminder that he wouldn’t let her come right now.
“Okay, I’ll tell you.” It was the hardest thing to say, especially since his hands left her body and turned her to face him. But her body wanted his promises more. Her pussy wept at being unfulfilled, but the images of him licking her there made her heart race.
“Lumara is a lykaen term. It means my beloved.” She didn’t look at him as she said it. She honestly hadn’t realized she’d spoken it until he asked her about it, but now that he knew, she felt a wave of insecurity fill her. She hadn’t even called Dmetri by the name.
Gentle fingers lifted her chin until she looked at him. His eyes held that same strange look in them that she couldn’t recognize before. What was that? She’d guessed hope before, but now it didn’t fit. She wished she could ask him, but she couldn’t be so revealing. She always too honest anyways.
He bent his head and kissed her. All thoughts fled but of his lips on hers. His kiss was gentle, coaxing yet demanding all at the same time. Everything she’d ever wanted.
“You guys might want to get to the meeting now. We have news about that deed.” Vera and Jacks looked down the hall to see Dmetri. He looked unhappy. Vera couldn’t stop the sickening feeling that roiled in her stomach. This was going to be bad.
Chapter Nine
A frigid, silent air was in the meeting room that hadn’t been there before. Brayden sat with a hard, unreadable look on his face. Ariss wore a small smile on her red lips, her guardian stood close behind her. Dmetri and Vera took their seats and for once Vera wished she could touch Jacks while this happened. Since when she needed a man’s strength for simple tasks, she wasn’t sure.
She knew what was going to happen. The deed was real, and they were going to take away the Kategan’s land. If they didn’t move off the land, then the pack would go to war with Ariss’ vampire clan.
Several guards came in the room—all vampires. They wore vacant expressions that gave nothing away. There were six of them and they stood back against the walls, looking straight ahead. In all her years coming with Vane to negotiate the treaties, she’d never seen guards in the room. This couldn’t be good.
She stood a little straighter in her chair and held her chin up high. She would deal with this proudly, like a Kategan.
When the old vampire Brayden spoke, everyone turned to listen to him, not because he was the only one talking, but because there was power in his voice that commanded everyone’s presence. The voice of a leader that shouted orders on the chaotic warfront.
“There have been some disturbing developments with regard to the deed presented by Ariss and her clan yesterday claiming a significant portion of Kategan land.”
Vera held her breath and wished he’d get on it with it, but he paused, his finger tapping on the yellow deed in front of him.
“I sent the deed to the Justicars yesterday who did an extensive background check into the legitimacy of the document. What they found was quite shocking.” Vera fought to control her breathing.
“As you can see they have returned the deed and their analysis of it.” He turned his head and looked straight at Vera. She felt her stomach hit the floor. “I have called in the guards today because I don’t want any problems.”
Vera was lightheaded, her stomach woozy, and she would have fallen out of her chair, but then Jacks’ hand touched her shoulder and the lightheaded feeling vanished like fog clearing. She didn’t look up at him or acknowledge his touch, but inside she said a prayer of thanks. His touch steadied her like nothing else could.
Brayden’s piercing gray eyes left hers and swung to Ariss. “Ariss of Master Claude’s clan of the Midwest, the Justicars have reviewed your deed and found it to be invalid.”
“What? That’s impossible!” Her smile quickly vanished into shock. She glanced around the room, at the guards, then back at Vera.