"You'll manage. You're a tough guy." She squatted down and took him into her mouth.
His body stiffened. He groaned. He was so big by now, she could hardly take in the whole length. She wrapped one hand around the base of the shaft, squeezing and tugging as she worked him with her mouth. He grew harder and thicker.
"Shanna." He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Stop. I can't - "
She straightened and rubbed her body against him. He held her tight with his eyes squeezed shut.
Relentless, she tugged on his stiff manhood. She stretched up on her toes to reach his ear. "Roman, I love you."
His eyes opened, bright red. With a gasp, his body convulsed. She felt the hot gush against her hip.
She hugged him, reveling in the shudders that racked his body. Yes, he would have no doubt that she loved him.
His breathing slowed. "God's blood." He leaned into the spray of hot water. With water running down his face and hair, he drew back and shook his head. "Wow."
Shanna laughed. "Not bad, huh?"
He looked down at her hip. "I made a mess on you."
"So? I'm washable, you know." She stepped under the spray and wet her hair. "Pass me the shampoo, will you?"
He did. "Did you mean what you said about loving me?"
She lathered up her hair. "Of course. I do love you."
He pulled her against him and kissed her mouth.
"Aagh. Shampoo in my face."
"Sorry." He eased her back under the spray. She arched her back to rinse her hair. Soon she felt his mouth on her br**sts. She held on to his shoulders. He grabbed her under the bu**ocks and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist.
Holding her, he turned and pressed her back against the tiles. He nuzzled her neck. "You love me?"
"Yes."
He lifted her higher so he could kiss her br**sts. She enjoyed every kiss, every swirl of his tongue, every little tug at her ni**les. Even so, she was painfully aware that her sex was pressed against his stomach. His fiat stomach. She wanted more. She needed him inside.
"Roman," she gasped. "I need you."
He propped her up with one arm and eased a hand between them. When his fingers touched her, she moaned and pushed against him. He slid a finger inside her. She rocked against him. Their wet skin skidded and smacked against each other.
His hand stilled. "This is not entirely comfortable, is it?"
She opened her eyes. His were glowing red. She smiled. The fact that his eyes could change no longer frightened her. On the contrary, she loved it. It was so blatantly honest. He could never hide his hunger for her. "Take me to bed."
He smiled back. "As you wish." He turned the water off and opened the shower stall.
Shanna held on to his shoulders and kept her legs wrapped around his hips. As he walked across the bathroom, he grabbed a towel and rubbed it along her wet back and hair.
He approached the bed and laughed. "I see you found a good use for my shirt." He lowered her onto the bed. She started to close her legs, but he grabbed her knees to stop her.
"I like the view." He knelt beside the bed and pulled her hips to the edge. He kissed the inside of her thigh, then kissed her most intimate flesh.
Shanna was already too excited, too much in need, to last for very long. With the first swirl of his tongue, she was spiraling upward. Luckily he understood her need, for he was wonderfully aggressive. The ascent was quick. She hovered on a glorious plateau, then burst into long shudders of release.
She cried out.
He climbed into bed and gathered her in his arms. "I love you, Shanna." He kissed her brow. "I will always love you." He kissed her cheek. "I'll be a good husband." He kissed her neck.
"Yes." She wrapped her legs around him. Her sweet, old-fashioned, medieval man. He felt the need to commit himself to her before entering her, and it touched her heart. Her eyes blurred with tears. "I love you so much."
He reached down to position himself against her. "The last vow," he whispered.
"Hmm?"
He raised his red-hot gaze to her eyes. "I've waited a long time for you." He plunged inside.
She gasped, immediately tightening at the sudden assault.
He was breathing heavily, his head against her shoulder. "Shanna," he whispered.
At the sound of his voice, she felt her muscles relax. He slid in all the way, filling her. His voice continued to echo inside her head. Shanna, Shanna.
"Roman." She looked into his eyes. There was more than passion in the red glow of his gaze. There was love and wonder, warmth and joy. Everything she'd ever wanted.
He withdrew slowly, then eased back in. I don't know how long I can last. This is so..
"I know. I feel it, too." She pulled him forward till his forehead rested against hers. He was inside her head, inside her body. A part of her heart. I love you, Roman.
Their minds mingled so that Shanna could hardly tell the difference between her own pleasure and his. It was all the same, shared by them both. Soon they were grasping at each other and quickening the pace. He climaxed first. His release exploded through her body and mind, igniting her own shattering response.
They lay in each other's arms, catching their breath.
Finally Roman rolled away. "Am I smushing you?"
"No." She curled up beside him.
He gazed at the ceiling. "You.. you're the only woman I've ever loved. In person, that is."
"What do you mean?"
"I took vows when I became a monk. I vowed I would do no harm. I broke that. I took a vow of poverty. I broke that, too."
"But you've done so much good. You shouldn't feel bad."
He turned onto his side and looked at her. "I took a vow of celibacy. I broke that just now."
She recalled his odd words before entering her. "The last vow?"
"Yes."
She propped herself up on her elbow. "Are you saying you were a virgin?"
"In the physical sense, yes. Mentally, I've been engaging in vampire sex for centuries."
"You've got to be kidding me. You never.. ?"
He frowned. "I kept my vows while I was alive. Would you expect less of me?"
"No. I'm just amazed. I mean, you're incredibly handsome. Weren't the village girls swooning over you?"
"They were swooning, all right. They were dying. All the women I saw were sick, covered with sores and growths and - "
"Okay. I get the picture. Not exactly attractive."
He smiled. "The first time I overheard vampire sex, it was by accident. I thought the lady was in trouble and needed help."
Shanna snorted. "Yeah, she needed something, all right."
He rolled onto his back and yawned. "I think the formula is wearing off. Before I fall asleep, I want to ask you something."
He was going to pop the question. Shanna sat up. "Yes?"
"If you're attacked, not that I would allow such a thing to happen, but - " He looked at her. "If you're attacked and dying, do you want me to transform you?"
Her mouth fell open. That wasn't a marriage proposal. "You want to turn me into a vampire?"
"No, I wouldn't want to condemn your immortal soul."
Jeez, he was stuck in such a medieval mindset. "Roman, I don't think God has abandoned you. Your synthetic blood saves lives every day. You could still be part of God's master plan."
"I wish I could believe that, but - " He sighed. "If things get bad with Petrovsky, I want to know where you stand."
"I don't want to be a vampire." She winced. "Please don't take that in a bad way. I love you just as you are."
He yawned again. "You're all that is good and pure and innocent in this world. No wonder I love you so much."
She stretched out beside him. "I'm not that good. I'm down here enjoying myself while people upstairs deal with the mess."
Roman frowned, gazing at the ceiling. Suddenly he sat up. "Laszlo!"
"He's asleep right now."
"Exactly." Roman touched his forehead. "I'm seeing spots."
"You're worn out." Shanna sat up. "You need to sleep now so your wounds can heal."
"No. Don't you see? All the vampires are dead right now. It's the perfect time to rescue Laszlo."
"But you're about to fall asleep."
He grabbed her hand. "Do you remember how to get to my lab? You can bring back the rest of the formula - "