He’d always laughed at his ancestors and the stories that had been passed down throughout the annals of time of a love so great a man would deny his very salvation rather than take what was not freely given. Now the cruel joke was on him. He finally understood what it meant to find his one true love, the woman who would complete him and be his for eternity. Lucian knew he would rather face his own death than to take what she would not freely offer. His life, his very future were in her hands.

  “What’s wrong?” She sounded confused, but Lucian couldn’t answer. Speaking was beyond him now. It was taking all of his strength to keep his passions under control. “Lucian?”

  He shook his head and clenched his fists, pushing them against the hard wooden floor, using one kind of pain to counteract another. It didn’t work. The pain in his body was almost overwhelming. A bead of sweat roll down his back.

  Delight pushed up onto her hands and knees. She peered over her shoulder and captured his fiery gaze. “Take me, Lucian. Make me yours.” She hesitated and swallowed, her throat rippling. “Love me forever.”

  Before she’d spoken her final word, he was between her spread thighs, driving himself home. She shuddered when he surged past her swollen, delicate flesh and into her body. Unable to stop, he seated himself to the hilt in one thrust.

  He dropped his head onto her shoulder and gasped for breath. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he panted. “Didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “I’m fine, Lucian.” Her words were gentle and giving even though they did not deny the hurt. “Finish it.”

  He nodded and licked the slick flesh of her nape, tasting the mixture of salt and desire. His cock pulsed with each breath he took. The urge to thrust was enormous.

  “I have no control left,” he gritted out between clenched teeth. It was a hard admission to make for a man of his age and stature. But maybe it was meant to be this way. She had no control around him, so maybe this was nature’s way of balancing the scales. Only Delight affected him this way.

  Delight tilted her hips forward and then slammed them backward, giving him all the permission he needed. He wrapped one arm around her waist and drove his cock into her from behind. Her body shivered and tightened, but she accepted him. A wild pleasure grew in him as he repeated the motion over and over.

  He palmed one of her breasts, gripping the soft mound in his hand as he continued to pound into her willing flesh. Her moans of pleasure grew louder. That made him thrust even harder. He couldn’t get far enough inside her to please him. Harder and faster, he ground his cock into her wet depths.

  She was his, now and forever. He would never let her go.

  They were both close to coming. He felt the telltale ripples in her core. But another need, a far more powerful one, needed to be assuaged first. The words welled up deep in his soul and spewed forth, both a promise and a vow. “You are my heart and my soul. I will protect you with my entire being for as long as you shall live and beyond if someday you choose to join me.”

  Now that the words had been said, the promise given and accepted, Lucian finally relaxed and let go. His testicles drew up tight. He drove his cock hard within her one final time. As he started to come, he leaned over her and sank his elongated fangs into the back of her neck, burying them to the hilt. Delight’s body jerked as she came, her inner muscles clutching his cock while he drank her blood.

  The sensation was incredible.

  Lucian emptied himself into Delight even as he fed from her. It was only when she slumped forward that he realized he’d lost all sense of time. He immediately retracted his fangs and licked the wound, closing it and healing it instantly. He withdrew his semi-aroused cock from her warmth and lowered her to the floor. She shivered even though the room wasn’t cold.

  Lucian slumped next to her and pulled her into his arms. He felt totally drained, yet fully alive at the same time. As her blood seeped through his veins, he flicked his tongue over his teeth, capturing the last taste of her. Delight sighed and shivered once again.

  As much as he wanted to remain where he was, it was not good for Delight. He heaved himself upright, bent down, and scooped Delight up into his arms. He ignored the clothing strewn all over the floor and padded up the stairs with his treasure clasped tight in his arms.

  They had much to sort out, but that was for later. Right now, she needed to sleep and regain her strength. There would be time to talk tomorrow.

  Using the power and strength of his mind, he slid the locks closed behind him. When he deposited Delight onto his bed, she immediately rolled to her side. He pulled the covers out from under her and spread them over her nude body. She snuggled beneath them and sighed.

  Lucian checked to make sure all the windows were barred tight and locked down. After doing a mental sweep of the house and assuring himself that everything was as it should be, he climbed into bed and pulled Delight into his arms. Although she had already drifted off to sleep, Lucian planted the suggestion in her mind that she would sleep until the next sunset.

  The dawn would be breaking soon, but Lucian didn’t wait for the sun to rise. Instead, with Delight tucked tight against his chest, he relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Just like the last time she spent the night, or rather the day, with Lucian, Delight awoke with great difficulty. She really had to have a talk with him about his tendency to want her to sleep while he slept and be awake only when he was. She had an entire life and a family to take care of, and she couldn’t do that if she was in bed all day.

  She had no idea what time it was but sensed that it was once again late afternoon. Stretching gingerly, she smothered a gasp when some of her muscles protested. Her poor body wasn’t used to all the vigorous sexual activity. She hurt in places she hadn’t even known existed until she met Lucian.

  Even in sleep, his arm was locked tight around her waist. She carefully pried his fingers open and slipped from his grasp. He didn’t move, but continued to lie there as still as death. Delight bit her lip nervously as she placed her open palm on his chest. Nothing.

  She pulled her hand away and brought it to her own chest, feeling the comforting thump of her heart. Intellectually, she knew Lucian was a vampire. As farfetched as that sounded, it was indeed a reality. What that actually entailed, she wasn’t really sure. She had so many questions to ask him, but they always seemed to get sidetracked when they were together.

  Delight shivered as memories from last night flashed in her brain. Everything she’d done in the restaurant and the downstairs hallway both astonished and delighted her. She seemed to have no control where Lucian was concerned, and that would have bothered her, except that he seemed to have very little control himself when they were together.

  When he’d finally taken her on the floor last night, it was as if something inside her had changed. As he’d recited what sounded like a vow before allowing himself to finally make love to her, she’d felt as though she’d finally come home. There was a sense of belonging and almost of destiny with Lucian. It sounded silly when she put it in those terms, but it was true nonetheless.

  That was all fine and good, but she still had responsibilities, and one of those would be waiting at home for her. She and Lucian hadn’t had time to talk, but she’d already decided to tell Chase the truth. He was her brother, and if Lucian was going to be a huge part of her life, then he had to know Lucian was a vampire.

  “He’ll think I’m nuts,” she muttered. She climbed down off the platform bed and padded to the bathroom. The woman in the mirror looked a fright with her hair sticking up on end and her pale face staring back. Delight stuck out her tongue at herself before stepping into the large shower stall and turning the water on full blast. No need to worry about waking Lucian. When he was asleep during the day, nothing seemed able to wake him.

  She didn’t linger, but quickly washed and rinsed herself. When she was done, she turned off the water, grabbed a towel off the rack, and quickly dried herself off. There wasn’t much she could do with her hair, so she finger-combed it before wrapping the towel around herself and returning to the bedroom.

  Lucian still hadn’t moved. It was odd to see him lying so still, unsettling. He had such a vibrant personality when he was awake. Delight walked over to the bed, stepped up onto the platform, bent down and kissed his warm lips. “I’ll talk to you later.” She continued to watch him for a moment, unable to pull her gaze away from his beloved face. She wished he’d open his eyes or speak, but it wasn’t to be.

  This was yet something else she’d have to get used to if they spent more time together.

  She made herself step down from the bed. “You’ve put off leaving long enough,” she muttered. Delight continued to talk to herself as she unlocked the bedroom door, being careful to close it tight behind her when she stepped out into the hallway.

  “Now, where are my clothes?” She crept down the stairs, nervous for some unknown reason. She felt more like an intruder than a guest, and she really didn’t like the feeling that she was sneaking out on Lucian. Again.

  “I’m not really,” she assured herself as she picked her black lace panties off the floor, shook them out and stepped into them.

  Her dress was a black clump on the floor. It would have a few wrinkles, but that couldn’t be helped. She plucked it off the floor and straightened the fabric. “I’ll be back. I promise.” She dropped the towel and raised the dress to pull it over her head.

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  Delight shrieked as a rough male voice startled her. She yanked the dress down in front of her, holding it like a shield, and backed away from the unfamiliar voice. Clad only in her underwear, she confronted the intruder. “Who are you?” Why was there someone in Lucian’s home while he was vulnerable? Lucian had locked every door behind him.

  It suddenly occurred to her just how vulnerable Lucian was when he slept. If nothing could wake him, then someone could hurt him, even kill him. And he could be killed. He’d told her so. Sunlight, beheading, and a stake through the heart. The stranger didn’t seem to have any weapons, but the sun was still a concern, although less so with each passing second.

  The stranger continued to advance on her, his every movement filled with a masculine grace that reminded her of Lucian. Unlike Lucian, she didn’t trust this man one bit. There was something wild and untamed in his eyes, but it wasn’t tempered with the need to protect that Lucian possessed. Lucian wanted her. This man . . . well, she wasn’t sure what he thought of her or why he was there.

  They studied one another, two silent adversaries. The more she stared at him, the more convinced she was that he had to be related to Lucian somehow. This man was even larger than Lucian, which made him absolutely huge, but he had the same green eyes and they shared the same basic facial structure. The stranger also had long black hair that was pulled back in a ponytail.

  “You’re Lucian’s brother.” It was a guess but one she felt confident in making. She was both thrilled and dismayed by this turn of events. Delight was pleased to meet Lucian’s family, just not in her underwear. Trying to ignore the fact that only a small black piece of fabric covered her, she thrust her hand toward him. “I’m Delight.”

  “You certainly are.” His words charmed her in spite of her trepidation. He took her hand in his much larger one and held it for a moment before bringing it to his lips. “I am Stefan Dalakis.” After placing a soft kiss on the back of her hand, he kept possession of it, ignoring her attempts to pull it from his grasp. “But where are you going? Lucian would not be pleased that you are leaving on your own.” His words were mild but there was a wealth of censure behind it.

  Delight stopped trying to pull her fingers from his grasp. What was it with these Dalakis men that made them think she had to do whatever they told her? Frowning, she glared up at Stefan. “Well, he’ll just have to get over it now, won’t he? I’ve got things to do.” Her scowl got even deeper as another thought occurred to her. “Why are you awake and Lucian isn’t?” She glanced out the window and noted that the sun was just sinking.

  “Because I have learned to test my limits, while my brothers have not bothered. There is much to be learned if one is willing to reach for the knowledge.”

  It occurred to Delight that just because he was Lucian’s brother didn’t mean that Stefan wasn’t dangerous. He was up and around when Lucian wasn’t. He could kill her if he wanted and no one would be able to stop him. Just because he acted charming didn’t necessarily mean he was. While she’d easily accepted Lucian, there was something about Stefan that frightened her on a primal level.

  Her heart pounded in her chest. Fear clawed at her, making it more difficult for her to breathe. She yanked her hand back. He released her so quickly she would have fallen if he hadn’t reached out and steadied her.

  Stefan’s face was impassive, but his eyes swirled with myriad conflicting emotions. She feared he might even be more dangerous than Lucian. Lucian might be a force of nature, wild and powerful, but this self-contained man was terrifying.

  The longer she was in his presence, the more her fear grew. When a pair of arms locked around her from behind, Delight screamed, loud and shrill. Her terror was so great that it took a moment for the voice to penetrate her fear.

  “Shhh, my love. Everything is fine.” Lucian rocked her back and forth and whispered in her ear.

  She gulped air into her lungs and forced herself to calm. Now that Lucian was here, her earlier fears seemed overblown. She was ashamed of her outburst, but excused it as a result of the crazy few days she’d endured. “I’m okay. I was already freaked out and you startled me is all.”

  It was definitely the wrong thing to say. Delight found herself thrust behind Lucian’s back as he confronted his brother. “What did you do to frighten Delight?” The words were practically growled and his hands were curled into fists. There was no doubt he was ready for a fight.

  Stefan, on the other hand, looked mildly amused and extremely sad. It was that sadness that reached out to her and touched her heart. In spite of his fierce appearance and aura, she didn’t think he’d meant to intentionally scare her.

  Hoping to defuse the situation, she scooted around Lucian and tapped her hand on his chest. The look he gave her was filled with disbelief, as though he couldn’t quite believe what she was doing.

  She cleared her throat. “I hardly expected to meet someone in your home. You didn’t tell me you had a brother, so it’s partially your fault he frightened me.”

  “Is that so?” Thankfully he now sounded more amused than angry.

  “Yes, it is. And how is it he can be up and around in the daylight and you can’t? If I’m going to be a part of your life, we’ve got to talk about these things.” There was so much she didn’t know about his world.

  Stefan snickered under his breath. She wasn’t letting him off that easy. Years of being in charge of her younger brother served her well. She turned toward Stefan. “And you, just because you’re Lucian’s brother doesn’t mean you can boss me around. I won’t let him do it, so I’m certainly not going to allow you to think you can get away with it.”

  The look of surprise on Stefan’s face was priceless. He was staring at her as if she was some strange creature he didn’t quite know what to do with. Delight risked a quick glance at Lucian and noted that he looked none too pleased either. This wasn’t good. Not only had Lucian caught her sneaking out of his house, now she was telling off his brother. Deciding it was better to stay on the offensive than the defensive, she shifted her attention back to Lucian. “Any other family I should know about?”

  “Yes. An older brother and a new sister-in-law.” Before she could even think of a response, he cupped the back of her head, leaned down, and kissed her.

  It wasn’t a soft, gentle kiss, but a stamp of possession. He claimed her mouth with his, thrusting his tongue inside and stroking hers, challenging it to duel with his. Delight forgot everything as his mouth continued to devour hers.

  As a way to shut her up it was certainly effective.

  Her fingers uncurled, releasing the death grip she had on her dress. It slithered to the floor and pooled around her feet. Coming up on her toes, she flung her arms around Lucian’s neck. She wanted the kiss to last forever. Lucian’s arousal grew as their kiss continued and she nestled her hips tight to his to help ease the growing ache between her own thighs.

  “Don’t mind me. I’ll just leave.” The amused masculine voice was as effective as a dousing with a cold bucket of water. How had she forgotten Stefan was standing there? She was a sensible, levelheaded woman—when Lucian wasn’t around. He seemed to have a dampening effect on her self-control.

  Thoroughly humiliated, she pulled away from Lucian and buried her face against his naked chest. “Now look what you made me do,” she wailed.

  “Me?” he replied incredulously.

  “Yes.” She nodded her head against his chest. “It’s your fault for being so damned sexy. I never had these kinds of problems until I met you.”

  Stefan gave a bark of laughter. When she turned her head and peeked at him, he was smiling. It was only the slightest upturn at the corner of his lips, but it was a smile. He gave her a small bow that was oddly formal and looked right, even though he was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a black T-shirt.

  “Welcome to the family.” All traces of humor fled from his face as he continued. “Know that I will protect you and yours with my very life. You are a Dalakis now.”

  “Thank you.” Stefan’s words touched Delight, but she didn’t quite know what to say to his second proclamation. “But I’m a Deveraux, not a Dalakis.”

  Stefan immediately looked to Lucian and seemed relieved when he nodded. “No, you are a Dalakis now, for better or worse.” Stefan’s eyes began to twinkle as he ran them down along the curves of her body. “And from what I can see, it is definitely for the better.”

  “Oh, my God.” She was standing here practically naked. Stefan had a perfect view of her mostly bare body. Even though her back was to him, with her dress on the floor and wearing only her underwear, he’d gotten quite the eyeful for the last while.