He pulled his body over her and rolled to his side, gathering her in his arms and taking her with him. He tucked her face in his throat, cautious with the still healing wound.
Her breathing was heavy as was her pulse and she whispered with a mixture of disappointment and marvel, “You’re done?”
He shook his head and tightened his arms, drawing her deeper into him.
“I’m not done, pet. You’re done.”
She wasn’t done. He knew it the way she moved restlessly against him.
It wasn’t the feeding she wanted, it was the cl**ax he’d brought her so very close to and didn’t let her have.
Her head tilted back and he tipped his down to face her.
“You can’t be done,” she whispered and it was a soft demand.
“I’m done,” he declared.
“You’re not,” she returned, her voice getting stronger as were her movements, her hands sliding over his body, her own body pressing into his.
“Be still, Leah,” he commanded.
“No,” she refused.
“Leah.”
She pressed closer, her hands moving over his ass, pulling in as she returned, “Lucien.”
He reached behind him, wrapping his fingers around her wrists and pulling her arms around to the front. He rolled to his back, bringing her with him so she was on top, her arms cocked and caught between them. The deep red of her wound was blazing but the skin was closing.
Her eyes narrowed and she pressed her soft h*ps into his still hard ones, demanding, “You can’t seriously think we’re finished.”
“I know it.”
“You’re in a state!” she observed angrily.
“It’ll pass.”
“I’m in a state,” she informed him, her anger escalating at her need to point out her condition.
He left her hands trapped between them and he circled her with his arms, giving her a small shake before he held her tightly.
“Do you remember this morning?” he asked softly and her brows knitted over ever-narrowing eyes.
“How could I forget?” she snapped.
“This is your punishment.”
She pulled in a sharp breath as understanding dawned.
Then she said on a heavy exhale, “You’re joking.”
“You’ll go unfulfilled until you learn your lesson, pet.”
She blinked, hard and fast, her lips parting in shock and anger.
All vestiges of cute, hilarious, sweet, intoxicated Leah had vanished. Lucien uncharacteristically felt doubt about his decision to carry through with her punishment.
This was mainly because he liked cute, hilarious, sweet Leah and he wanted her back.
This was also because she wanted him. She made this abundantly clear without any evasion. Even if she hadn’t, he could smell it.
This was also because he wanted her. He wanted to bury himself inside her slick, wet core. He wanted to f**k her so hard he felt her body jolt under his with his thrusts. He wanted to listen to the noises she made, feel her sleekness clench around him, smell her sex in his nostrils and watch her face as she came.
He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted a female, vampire or mortal.
Even Maggie.
And the power of his desire caused him to doubt the wisdom of carrying through with her punishment.
She tried to tear free of his arms but he moved swiftly.
He exited the bed, taking her with him, standing her on her feet. She swayed a moment then moved to flee but he caught her wrist in an unbreakable grip, ripping his shirt open at the same time, the buttons flying. He released her for less than a second, taking his shirt off. Then he tossed her back into bed and as she scrambled to get her limbs in order, he finished disrobing. Before she could escape, he had her on her side, her back to his front, tucked into the bend of his body, his arm holding her captive.
“Let me go,” she demanded, her breath straining, exposing her body’s inability to keep pace with his.
He settled behind her. “Leah, sleep.”
She struggled. “Let me go.”
He gave her a shake and repeated, “Sleep.”
She kept struggling and he contained it effortlessly. This went on for quite some time.
Suddenly she stilled.
He listened to her heavy breathing and felt her legs move, still wrestling with residual desire.
After some time, she settled.
He thought she’d conquered her body and finally fell asleep.
Instead, in a fierce, tortured whisper, she declared, “This morning, if you told me there was a way I could hate you more, I wouldn’t have believed it. But it’s true.”
Yes, he seriously doubted the wisdom of carrying through her punishment.
“Leah,” he murmured into her hair.
“I’ll never stop hating you,” she vowed, her voice scratching with her passionate assertion.
He pulled her closer and made his own vow. “Yes you will, my pet. I’ll find a way through.”
“Impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible.”
“We’ll see,” she said, her voice dripping with doubt at his words as well as conviction to her oath.
Yes, Lucien thought but didn’t speak aloud, we’ll see.
* * * * *
Lucien woke before Leah.
His first act was to pull back her head gently to check her wound. Fully healed.
His next act was to lie beside her watching her sleep. Her face was relaxed and expressionless, not one of his preferred looks but appealing all the same.
After some time, her eyes fluttered open and, as she had the day before, her expressionless face became bewildered.
And, shortly after waking, as she had the day before, she tensed in preparation for flight.
He caught her close. Her head jerked back, her eyes narrowed and her mouth opened to protest.
He brought his down on hers, hard and demanding her response.
She withheld and began her vain struggles, as usual stubborn to an extreme.
So stubborn, this carried on for long enough that Lucien was forced to try a different tactic. Rolling her to her back and pinning her, his hands moved on her, down her sides, across her belly, up her midriff, all the while his tongue engaged in its sensual duel with hers.
Then his hand moved over her breast, cupping it gently before he snagged her nipple with his thumb.
Her body stopped bucking against his in protest and melted underneath him.
“That’s it, sweetheart,” he whispered against her mouth at her capitulation and he took advantage, his finger met his thumb and he rolled her nipple between them.
A delicious noise slid from the back of her throat into his mouth. Her legs opened, one calf wrapping around his hip and he caught the scent of her excitement.