"Shay, come with me," he urged as he felt her quiver beneath him.
Her head twisted restlessly on the pillow, her eyes squeezed shut. "I don't think I have a choice," she panted.
"Good."
Sealing her lips with his own he plunged within her, feeling her clenching about him before he at last lost himself in the fierce orgasm that shook him to his very soul.
Wow.
It seemed a ridiculous sort of word.
Or at least it had until the past few moments.
Not the sort of word she would ever use.
Now, however, as Shay battled to gather her breath she realized that there really wasn't any other word to actually describe what had just occurred.
Still bathed in sweat and too weak to move, she rested her head on Viper's chest. It wasn't the first time she had found pleasure in a man's arms. But she couldn't fool herself that she had ever felt such raw, unrelenting need.
Or had her body ever responded to a man's touch with such a fierce joy.
Crap, crap, and double crap.
Why the hell did the best sex she had ever enjoyed have to be in the arms of a vampire?
It sucked. Literally.
As if sensing her tangled thoughts, Viper slipped a finger beneath her chin and tilted up her head to meet his searching gaze.
"You're quiet. Are you well?"
Was she well?
Certainly she was sweaty, sated, and stunned.
But well?
The jury was still out on that.
"I thought vampires always took blood when they—"
His brows rose as her words broke off in embarrassment. "Make love?"
"Yes."
He studied her for a long moment, obviously sensing that it was not just the lack of blood donation that was troubling her.
"It's not mandatory, but it's true that our lusts tend to rise together. Does it worry you that I might bite you?"
"I'd be a fool if it didn't."
His expression never altered, but lying so close to him she could feel his body stiffen.
"If you will recall, pet, I offered my word."
Untangling herself from his arms she propped herself on the headboard and tugged the sheets up to her chin. It wasn't so much modesty that made her cover her body, but more the fear that the least touch from Viper and she might not be able control herself.
God... he was just so gorgeous. Lying on the black sheets with his hair tangled in a silver cloud he looked like something that had been dropped from heaven. She swallowed heavily forcing herself to meet the glittering black gaze.
"Are you angry?" she at last demanded.
The arrogance was in full throttle as he glared at her. "It's not often that my honor is questioned. I'm beginning to wonder what it is I have to do to earn your trust."
She shrugged, too involved with her own confused emotions to pay full attention to the tension humming in the air.
"What does it matter? I'm your slave. I'm forced to obey you regardless of my feelings. Why would you even desire my trust?"
With a blur of speed he was off the bed and regarding her with a cold anger. He seemed utterly indifferent to the fact he was stark naked.
Unfortunately, Shay was not nearly so indifferent. Her entire body clenched in excitement as her gaze traveled helplessly over his alabaster perfection.
Oh ... sweet heaven.
"Forced to obey?" The edge in his voice brought her gaze back to his cold expression. "Is that why you're in my bed? Because you think you were forced?"
"I... no, of course not."
The dark eyes remained hard and unyielding. "There is no, of course not, about it."
Shay shivered beneath the sheet. This was a side of Viper she had never seen before.
"Why are you so mad?"
"Oh, I don't know." His mouth twisted in a humorless smile "Perhaps because you have done what no other woman has done in over a thousand years."
"What's that?"
"Imply that I raped her."
Her breath caught in shock. "I never implied—"
"No? You lay in my arms speaking of being my slave, and attempting to convince yourself that you could not possibly have desired me." His harsh voice rasped over her body in a near tangible punishment. "You would rather believe that I forced myself upon you than to admit that it was your own passions that led to this moment."
Shay dropped her gaze. He was right, of course. Her body had no complications. It wanted Viper. Wanted him with a force that was downright frightening.
But her mind... ah, her mind remembered that it had been a vampire who had ruthlessly murdered her father. And vampires who hunted Shalotts like they were animals. "What do you want from me?"
"The truth."
She reluctantly lifted her gaze. "What truth?" He narrowed his gaze. "Admit that you want me. Nothing more, just that."
Shay licked her lips. "I'll admit that you're handsome and obviously experienced..."
A deep growl rumbled through his throat as he grasped his robe and shoved his arms into the sleeves. "Enough." Shay watched in shock as he turned toward the door. "Where are you going?"
He halted, but he refused to turn around. "Anywhere but here. If you can still think of me as a monster after what we just shared, then there is no hope for you."
A flare of guilt clenched at her heart. As much as she might hate to admit it, he was right. She was being utterly unfair. She had wanted him every bit as much as he had wanted her. Hell, maybe even more. And she still wanted him.
Deep inside her she knew that if he walked out that door now his pride would keep him from ever opening himself to her again.
She slipped from the bed and hurried until she was standing directly in front of him. "Wait, Viper."
"What now?" He stabbed her with a cold glare. "You've already mangled my pride, and my manhood, is there something else you wish to destroy?"
Her lips twitched in spite of herself. She had never seen a vampire in a huff before. And Viper was in a full-blown huff.
"I doubt anyone could mangle your pride, vampire." She reached up to boldly grasp the lapels of his robe, deliberately arching her naked body against him. "God knows you have enough to share with most of Chicago."
He stiffened, his gaze regarding her warily. "And my manhood?" he demanded.
She slowly smiled as she rubbed against him. "It feels in adequate condition."
There was a moment as he battled between his offended pride, and the desire that she could already feel stirring against her.
"Adequate?"
The jut of his erection pressed heavily against her stomach. "Perhaps more than adequate."