“Choose.” His face was set like stone once again, totally unreadable. Crossing his arms across his chest, he waited for her decision.

  She knew that whatever choice she made, her life would never be the same again. Lucian was such a strong, forceful man it would be easy to be overwhelmed and dominated totally by him. She had the feeling it would be second nature for him to try to control every aspect of her life if she let him. She couldn’t help but smile as she imagined the arguments they would have in the future if that was the case. She might not be very large compared to him, but she had a will of iron and a backbone of steel. She would be an equal in their relationship.

  Her forceful thoughts startled her. It seemed there was really no decision to be made, or if there was, she’d already made it. As impossible as it should be after knowing him for a matter of days, hours really, she knew she loved Lucian and wanted to be with him for whatever time they had. He completed her in some way she couldn’t really explain. It was as if she had found a part of herself she hadn’t known was missing until she’d found it.

  She knew most people wouldn’t understand. She didn’t really understand it herself. All she knew was it was real.

  She reached down and gripped the bottom of her dress. In one motion, she pulled it up and over her head before tossing it to the floor beside her. Lucian’s chest rose and fell as his breathing deepened. His erection strained against the front of his pants. She reached out a hand to stroke the hardness hidden beneath the cloth.

  Lucian shot his hand out and gripped her wrist in a gentle but unbreakable vise. “Is this your answer?” His voice was guttural and strained, but he was still in complete control of himself. Delight longed to break his rigid restraint.

  “Yes.” She flexed her fingers around him.

  He lifted her hand from the front of his pants and brought it to his lips, kissing each of her fingers before placing it on his chest. “Remove my shirt.”

  Delight opened one button after another, uncovering the hard muscles beneath. She tugged the shirt from his pants and pushed the edges open to reveal the perfect male chest. A six-pack of abs rippled as her fingers grazed his sides. A thin line of black hair ran from between the center of his pectoral muscles and down his abs before disappearing into the waistband of his pants.

  Excitement filled her. This amazing man belonged to her. He would outlive her and have other lovers. It was inevitable. But for the foreseeable future, he belonged to her.

  She placed her hand on his stomach and stroked her way up his torso to his shoulders. She pushed the fabric down his arms until it dropped to the floor. She moved closer and nuzzled the crisp chest hair, kissing her way toward one of his nipples. She flicked the flat brown disk with her tongue, reveling in the way it pebbled into a hard nub.

  Her breasts were swollen and heavy with arousal. She pressed them against his hard, muscular chest, making little sounds of contentment as she rubbed her tight nipples against him.

  Lucian tangled his fingers in her hair and anchored her against him so she couldn’t escape. She laughed, enjoying this sign that his control was getting shaky. Sensual excitement flooded her veins. When she sucked his nipple into her mouth, his grip on her hair tightened. She moaned in dismay when he pulled her away from him.

  “Strip for me.” His voice had grown deeper. Standing half in the shadows, he was large and powerful and totally aroused. He was also waiting for her to comply with his demand.

  Delight shivered, surprised at how much she enjoyed his taking command of their lovemaking. It was a challenge for her to push him past his limits of self-control. She slipped her feet out of her sandals and kicked them to one side. Wearing only thigh-high stockings and her black lace panties, she stood in front of him.

  “Finish it.” He was still far too much in control of himself, so Delight set out to unleash his passions.

  She turned sideways to give him a profile view, bent forward, and began to unroll the first stocking. She’d never thought of removing her stocking as being foreplay before, but that’s what it was.

  Her breasts hung in front of her, swaying as she worked. When she chanced a quick glance toward him, she was pleased to note that the front of his pants twitched as she rolled the stocking down to her ankle and whisked it off her foot. The wide-planked wooden floor was warm and hard against her bare sole and her toes curled slightly.

  She repeated the maneuver with the other stocking.

  With both legs bare, she turned and faced him. His eyes seemed to glow as they watched her. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, the light, or if it was because of what he was. Vampire.

  Delight hooked her fingers in the waistband of her panties and shimmied her hips, sliding the silky material downward. Her underwear pooled at her ankles. She kicked them aside.

  Totally naked, she skimmed her hands up her stomach and cupped her breasts. Her nipples were puckered and she lightly pinched the hard buds between her thumbs and forefingers. She could feel the dampness on her thighs, and the scent of her arousal perfumed the air around her.

  Lucian’s gaze was locked on her hands. While he watched her fondle her breasts, he kicked off his shoes and removed his pants. His legs were long and strong, muscles bulging as he spread his thighs and braced his feet on the floor. Totally aroused, his cock thrust boldly out in front of him.

  He looked feral and wild, a man in his prime, powerful and strong and hers. Delight wanted all of him. She wanted him to let down his guard and give her all that he was. She gave her nipples one final pinch and then skimmed her hands down her body until they were on her thighs.

  Lucian’s mouth tightened and his chest expanded. “Spread your legs.” His hoarse whisper trickled down her spine like a caress. “Show me.”

  Her feet moved of their own accord and her hands spread the lips of her sex wide. Flexing her hips toward him, she offered the wet pink lips to him for his perusal. Knowing that he watched her, she sinuously moved her hips back and forth in a parody of the sex act. She could feel her inner muscles clenching tight as her arousal grew almost painful.

  She held her breath as Lucian took a step toward her.

  “Don’t stop.”

  His words seduced her further and her hips kept up their seductive motion as he slid his hands between her legs. This time when her hips swung forward, two of his fingers slipped along her wet flesh and buried themselves inside her.

  Delight moaned as her hips swung backward and his fingers eased almost out of her, thrusting deep as she shoved her hips forward once again. It felt so good, but it wasn’t enough. She was on the edge, needing very little to send her spiraling out of control.

  “Lucian.” She arched toward him, almost sobbing his name as he continued to tease and torment her.

  “Tell me what you want.” He sounded hoarse, like he was barely holding on.

  “You, Lucian,” she panted. “You.”

  “Turn around, brace your hands on the wall, and spread your legs wide.” Lucian pulled his fingers from her body and raised them to his nose, smelling her desire. As she watched, he stuck his fingers in his mouth and sucked her cream from them.

  Delight had never seen anything so blatantly erotic in her entire life. Taking one last look at Lucian, she turned and spread her arms and legs wide and bent forward, bracing herself against the wall. Her bottom was thrust back toward him and she was totally open and exposed to him. A single shiver racked her body from head to toe.

  “Take me, Lucian. Make me yours.” Her words seemed to echo in the entryway. There was a stark finality to them. Once they took this next step, they were past the point of no return. If she was being honest with herself, she was already there.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lucian could barely believe his eyes. Delight knew what he was and still she offered herself willingly to him. He wasn’t sure she truly understood the implications of what she was doing, but he wasn’t about to argue with fate. He’d given her a chance to go and she hadn’t. She was his—now and forever. Whatever the future held, their lives were forever intertwined for as long as they lived.

  The smell of sex wafted on the air, thick and potent. The most erotic perfume in existence. More so that it belonged to Delight. Lucian battled his baser instincts, which were screaming at him to mount her and fuck her until she screamed for mercy. And he might do just that later. But Delight had offered herself willingly to him and he would not abuse her trust.

  Just looking at her with her hands braced against the cream-colored wall and her legs spread in welcome was almost enough to make him come. Liquid seeped from the tip of his cock, his body responding to her closeness and scent. A sheen of sweat clung to his body and he shoved his long hair away from his face to get it out of his way.

  Stepping up behind her, he placed his hands over hers even as he spread his legs so they were directly behind hers. His body covered hers easily and a savage pleasure rose up within him as he physically dominated her much smaller frame.

  He bent down and captured the delicate lobe of her ear between his teeth. He nibbled, careful not to break the skin. Delight gave a small cry and tilted her head to allow him easier access. Lucian almost howled with primal satisfaction. He felt all-powerful. King and conqueror. She was his for the taking.

  Then Delight moved.

  It was a subtle motion, but it shot through his entire body like an electric shock. She canted her hips until his cock was nestled between the plump folds of her sex and gave a sigh of contentment. That small sound almost brought him to his knees.

  It would never do for her to know how much power she wielded over him.

  Lucian shook his head as he straightened and took a deep breath to center himself. In truth, there was nothing he wouldn’t do to make Delight happy or to protect her. She belonged to him.

  The air in the room seemed to come alive and crackle with his rising anger. The need to seek out and punish the ones responsible for Delight’s ordeal was almost overwhelming. The only thing more powerful than that thirst for vengeance was the necessity of claiming Delight. Once he had done that, then he would be free to exact his revenge.

  “Lucian.” Delight’s voice was like music to his ears and helped calm his growing rage. “What is it? What’s wrong?” She had sensed his growing aggravation and was seeking to soothe him.

  “Nothing,” he assured her. “Everything is perfect.” He took in her tousled hair, the curvy line of her spine, her slender hips, and her plump bottom. Physically, he’d never reacted to any woman this strongly before. Delight was perfect for him in every way. It was as if she had been fashioned specifically for him, and in a way, he supposed that she had been. There was no other woman in the world who would ever suit him as well as Delight.

  But it wasn’t just physical attraction. It went beyond that, as powerful as the physical connection was. He admired her loyalty to her family, her intelligence, her work ethic, and her strength. Her heart, once given, would remain true and that was the greatest gift of all.

  With that in mind, he set out to seduce her, to bind her to him for now and all time. He slid his shaft back and forth, rubbing it along her clit. She moaned and worked her hips, stimulating herself even more.

  He wrapped his fingers around her wrists, shocked by their smallness and fragility. She had such a large, strong personality, it was easy to forget how much weaker she was compared to him. Although, he knew she wouldn’t appreciate the comparison. He knew she thought of herself as strong and competent. And she was, in her own way, but the fact remained that he was many times stronger than the strongest human male and she was rather delicate.

  Lucian ran his fingertips down the undersides of her arms. “Your skin is so soft.” It was like velvet, like warm silk. He kissed the nape of her neck and smiled when he saw goose bumps form on her skin.

  Continuing his exploration, he slipped his hands around her torso and wrapped his fingers over her plump breasts. The mounds fit his large hands perfectly, the taut nipples stabbing his palms. His cock jerked and he thrust it harder against her. Delight moaned and sinuously moved her hips.

  Lucian hissed as he struggled not to lose control. While he began to tease a taut nipple with one hand, he slipped the other down her flat stomach, angling it until it slid right between her legs. He sifted his fingers through her pubic hair, but he didn’t stop. She was wet and warm. He skimmed over her slick folds and straight into her opening.

  Delight cried out when two of his large fingers slipped into her heated depths. Her inner muscles clenched around him. She was close to coming. He stretched his fingers apart as far as they would go and withdrew them to the edge of her opening. She frantically tried to pump her hips to keep them inside her. Lucian drove his fingers deep, and Delight bucked against his hand.

  “Come for me.” He wanted to hear her cry out in pleasure, revel in the sweet scent of her cream as she found release. He scraped his teeth against the back of her neck but did not allow himself a taste of her rich blood. Not yet. He was so on edge, he would lose all control the second her blood touched his lips, and he wanted her pleasure first.

  Her head jerked back and she moaned when he nipped her shoulder, her body racked with shudders of desire. Lucian worked his fingers in and out of her slick core, feeling her muscles contract as she came. Her release coated his fingers, tantalizing and tormenting him with its alluring perfume. He bit his lip to keep from roaring his satisfaction.

  When the final spasm stopped, he withdrew his hands and wrapped them around her waist, holding her upright while she regained her composure. “What about you?” Her words were little more than a slurred whisper, but they made Lucian smile.

  “We have only just begun.” A shudder racked her body, but she didn’t pull away from him or move from her position against the wall. “Remain as you are.” It was almost painful to pull away from Delight, but he did so. His cock protested, throbbing almost violently. His testicles were swollen and heavy. He ignored his growing discomfort and trailed hot kisses down her spine.

  He had to taste her. It was imperative. He dropped to his knees behind her and nipped and licked at her soft, plump behind. He was so tempted to sink his teeth into her ass and sample her blood, but he didn’t think she was ready for that just yet.

  He delved past her slick pink folds, capturing her essence as he went. She moaned when he dipped inside her opening. He withdrew almost immediately and sat back of his heels, licking his lips, enjoying the taste of her on his tongue.

  “Spread your legs wider and bend over more. I want to see all of you.” He sensed her hesitation and reached out and ran one finger between her legs, finding her swollen clitoris and massaging it lightly. Her hips jerked and she moaned. “Wider, Delight. I want to see all of you.”

  She did as he asked, widening her stance slightly and bending lower. Lucian placed his free hand on her stomach and urged her bottom back further even as he whispered encouragement to her. “You can spread your legs a little wider for me, Delight.” Her feet inched apart, leaving her wide open to him. “Beautiful,” he muttered as he kissed her bottom.

  He stroked his hand between her legs, tracing the damp folds of her sex until his fingers were coated in her cream. Her clit was swollen and needy, so he teased it ever so gently before dipping his fingers into her opening once again. Over and over, he stroked the bud of her pleasure before plunging his fingers into her waiting warmth.

  “Lucian,” she moaned. She was close to coming again.

  “That’s it, my love. Let yourself go. I’m here,” he reassured her. Delight shivered as the pleasure shot through her. He continued to stroke her clit and the folds of her sex. Every now and then he would slip his fingers into her silky core.

  He leaned forward and blew on her heated flesh. Delight cried out and came in a rush, her entire body shaking as she convulsed. It was incredible to watch her give herself over to the pleasure he gave, knowing she trusted him in ways she’d trusted no other man. Her body was racked with shivers and Lucian carefully removed his fingers from her.

  He sat back on the floor and pulled her onto his lap. She collapsed in a heap against him and he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from toppling over. His cock was like steel against her back and Lucian knew he could wait no longer. He was in real pain now. His cock and his balls were so heavy they were about to burst and his teeth ached to sink into her skin and taste her blood.

  The craving was upon him and could no longer be denied.

  He laid her on her stomach on the soft Persian carpet that covered the center of the foyer. He knew he should take her upstairs to his bed, but he had waited too long. Past the point of no return, he had to have her now.

  Delight turned her head and looked over her shoulder. Her eyes were drowsy, her smile sultry. When she got a good look at his face, her eyes widened and she licked her lips nervously. Lucian could well imagine the picture she saw. He knew his normally green eyes were probably glowing an eerie reddish color and that his sharp fangs were extended over his bottom lip. His face, austere at best, would look harsh and unforgiving in the dim light cast by the lone lamp.

  Delight glanced at his cock and gasped when she saw how swollen and red it was. A growl vibrated in his chest as he felt her gaze like a caress. His cock jumped and more liquid seeped from the slit. He would soon spill his seed on the carpet if he didn’t get inside her.

  But now that the moment was at hand and the final act of claiming was upon him, he found he needed her to reaffirm her decision. She was seeing him as he truly was, as much man as beast. There was nothing to soften his appearance, no way to sugarcoat what he truly was.

  It had to be her choice. While every instinct was screaming at him to just drive into her and take her, he could not.