Текст книги "Take Me"

Автор книги: T. A. Grey

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 23 страниц)

He hadn’t anticipated it.

He didn’t know what it would be like.

It’d been so damned long since someone had taken from him.

He’d forgotten how fucking great it felt.

Felicity buried her lips against his neck in an open-mouthed kiss, her heavy breaths panting against him. Her sweet little tongue licked up, preparing him for her bite. He kept his hand on her ass, rocking her against his cock.

Fuck he was going to come from this. He just knew it. And he couldn’t wait.

Sharp points grazed his skin. One nicked him like a razor blade and she let out a fluttering sigh as her tongue lapped at him.

His patience snapped. “Fucking hell, do it already!”

She moaned then pressed her fangs to his neck and slowly, so fucking slowly, started to sink them into him. She wasn’t that eager because she was savoring this like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Her fangs were halfway in, his cock was ready to explode, the heavy scent of their arousal saturated the room like a sensual cloud when the door opened and ruined everything.

Felicity jumped back from him nearly tearing his neck in the process as she guiltily pressed as far back into the wall as she could to keep from being seen.

Dom was much slower to turn.

He might very well take off the person’s head who dared to intrude on them.

Turning, he put room between him and Felicity, albeit not much. He intended to finish what they’d started, and it would end with his cock buried deeply inside her and his fangs in her throat.

His mother stood at the door with a blank expression on her face. A look that said she could have walked in on them playing a game of chess for all she saw. Lady Blackmoore had a hell of a poker face.

“What do you want?”

She lifted an envelope. “Ms. Shaw’s pay. She needs to begin work immediately. The ceremony will be in a month just two days before the election. Her family has agreed on the date.”

Felicity walked past him. Her cheeks burned red, her hair was a mess in an unmistakable way, but still she held her chin high. Damn, he was proud of her. Not many could keep their cool around his mother let alone in a situation such as this.

“Thank you, Lady Blackmoore. I’ll need Lady Greenwich’s contact information so that I can deal directly with her,” Felicity said.

Dominic strode forward. “That won’t be necessary. You’ll be going through me for this job.”

Felicity and his mother turned to him with arched eyebrows. “You want me to plan the bonding ceremony with you?” Felicity said slowly.

His mother narrowed her eyes on him. “You know nothing of planning an event like this.”

Dominic crossed his arms. “I’ve been to as many events and bonding ceremonies as you have, mother. I want a say in what goes down. You have Julianna’s colors in mind. Unless you need to ask her something specific, you’ll go through me.”

Anger flashed in Felicity’s eyes making the light blue color turn darker. He liked that about her too. She had expressive eyes.

His mother handed Felicity the envelope then grabbed her by the arm. “I’ll just see her out.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Dom said between clenched teeth.

His mother already had Felicity to the door. “Why don’t you just relax, honey, you’ve had a long day.”

With that she closed the door and took his woman away.

His woman.

He liked the sound of that.

He smiled not knowing just how wicked of a smile it was.

Chapter 6

The following day a messenger showed up with an envelope carrying two tickets to see LBB at the Coyote Theater downtown. The Blackmoores had their own messengers—nuts.

Felicity had a lot to do. She had only a month to plan the wedding of the century to someone she feared was getting under her skin in a bad way. She had to get Beth over ASAP to dish about what happened last night.

Felicity sighed as she opened a can of cat food and scooped some out for Hugo.

Well, the dress had worked.

It apparently had worked quite freaking well, because without even touching her, as in really touching her, he’d nearly made her come last night. She grew wet just thinking about it. He’d turned her on that badly. She’d been putty in his hands needing him to touch and mold her to his fashion.

God, she’d begged for it. Begged for him. Worse, she didn’t know if she’d be able to turn him away if he did it again.

She’d taken his vein! Something so cherished and revered among their kind. What was wrong with her?

She exhaled as she jumped into the shower. Hell, she knew what was wrong with her. Dominic Blackmoore. It wasn’t even the attractiveness. Honestly, his brother Lucas was better looking, but nothing about Lucas made her quiver with need or want to melt at his feet. All Dom had to do was give her that look.

The look.

The look that said: I want to bury myself so deep inside of you right now.

He’d pretty much even said as much last night. The man was not shy.

This was all wrong. He was being mated to Julianna freaking Greenwich in a month’s time. She had to put a stop to this...thing happening between them.

Why was that so disappointing to think about?

She had to do it. She was not a home wrecker. She would not fool around with an engaged vampire. But the thought of him touching beautiful, doll-like Julianna made her fists curl and her heart ache. The more she thought about him looking at Julianna like that, touching Julianna like he had with her made chest burn with jealousy.

She had it bad for Dominic Blackmoore.

Her stomach quivered at the thought of his lips, his hands. He touched her just how she wanted to be touched.

He made her bite him.

Holy hell had that surprised her. Vampires, especially the older ones in power, did not give blood away lightly—as in at all in many cases. Some who are quite old even refuse to share blood with their bond mates. They consider their blood special and if they bestow it on you then it’d be a rare gift.

Dom had given it as if he’d needed her to take from him. He’d order her to take his aged, perfect blood. Her nipples hardened into tender little points remembering his taste. Masculine perfection, that’s how she’d describe it. His taste had instantly robbed her of all thoughts.

A shiver wracked over her body. Felicity blinked realizing her water had lost all of its heat and poured out freezing cold streams. She shut it off, grabbed her towel, and started getting ready.

She didn’t know what she was going to do about the man who had captured her attention unlike anyone else ever had. He was so damn untouchable. He was off-limits, not to be had for someone like her. Maybe if her parents had been richer or if she came down from a long line of royalty that could be traced back to the dark ages like the Blackmoore family. Maybe then he’d be in her league. But that would never happen. One couldn’t change their heritage. She was a poor girl from a family of limited means.

Dom didn’t seem to mind that, a voice said in her head.

Just remembering the sweet and sexy things he growled at her last night made her heart twinge like something burning had been lodged there. No one had ever said anything like that to her. And she’d like it. It’d made her crave him more.

The concert started at ten and she still hadn’t told Beth. Beth was going to freak the hell out. Felicity couldn’t wait to see it.

They only had three hours until the concert so Felicity phoned Beth to get her ass over here. Of course Beth had to turn down her background music first, only this time Felicity recognized the voice in the background—Lucas Blackmoore.

While Beth was on the way over, Felicity took some of her last blood out of her warming oven. The warming oven was a great little invention. The small oven was about the size of a mini-fridge but kept things at warmer temperatures. It could also hold plastic bags of blood, glass, hell even Tupperware without melting or becoming stale. It worked like a charm.

Felicity eyed her diminished stash of blood. She had two bottles left but soon she’d be stacked. As she popped the cap on her glass bottle of AB, she froze. She’d been so busy on the drive home last night reliving every single second she’d spent with Dom that she hadn’t even looked at the check.

Now she raced across her kitchen to the dining room table, which also served as her kitchen table. The envelope sat next to her portfolio. She grabbed it and tore it open.

She stared at the check, blinking. The numbers of zeroes couldn’t be accurate. There were too many.

Her heart started beating in a hard staccato tempo.

Then a knocking sound joined the beat. Could vampires have a heart attack? No, no she couldn’t die like that, but holy cow were there a lot of zeroes.

Her front door opened and she barely managed to lift her eyes from the check to see Beth coming in looking agitated. Beth froze as she took in Felicity. Then Felicity froze.

“What’s wrong?” said Beth, slowly walking closer.

“I got paid.” Felicity’s voice was hoarse and dry.

Beth’s lips curled into a smile. “You got the job. Isn’t this a great thing we should be celebrating right now?”

Felicity nodded numbly not even realizing she was doing it. Beth crossed her arms, her agitation gone. “Okay, show me it.”

Felicity somehow managed to stand upright and show her the check.

Beth cocked her head, squinted at the check, then her eyes widened and she flew forward to snatch it from Felicity’s hand.

“No way! A hundred and fifty thousand dollars? This is your pay?”

Felicity swallowed over the lump in her throat. A hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That would more than pay off her bills. That’d keep paying them for a long while and she’d be able to eat for a few years off that.

Beth set the check on the table as if it was a sacred object that might break, and then sighed. “Is part of that for costs of buying things?”

Felicity frowned. “I don’t think so. She said it was just my pay. Usually for big jobs like this they’ll open their own account and give me a specific amount of money to work with and we’ll go from there. We didn’t discuss any of that though.” At the thought of what she did do yesterday—make out with Dom—she blushed.

Beth took a seat and smiled wickedly. “Okay, tell me everything. The dress worked, didn’t it?”

“Like a freaking charm.”

Beth clapped and tossed her head back laughing. “I knew it would. That dress on you just begs for attention.”

“Yes, well, um there are a few problems with all that.”

“Like what?”

“Well, he’s getting blood bonded in a month to another woman, and I think I really like him.”

Beth frowned. “What’s a blood bond?”

Right, sometimes Felicity forgot her best friend was mortal. “It’s like a wedding only much harder to divorce from and much more permanent. It’s a forever kind of thing, usually.”

Beth raised a brow. “But I was reading one of your vampire magazines—”

“It’s called V Society,” Felicity interrupted.

“Riiight, V Society, and it said that Dominic Blackmoore of the illustrious Blackmoore family had severed his bond with a woman named Helena.”

Felicity remembered that too. “That just means he must have been seriously unhappy with her. They were together for almost five hundred years. They were never really seen together either. The magazine is filled with pictures of her but none of him.” Felicity shrugged.

“So who’s the woman he’s supposed to marry—I mean bond with now?”

Felicity grabbed her teakettle and started making hot water. Beth loved her hot tea—heavy on the milk and sugar.

“Julianna Greenwich, another blue blood like him. She’s gorgeous.”

Beth’s eyes rounded with remembrance. “Tall, willowy, blond, stunningly beautiful and dresses to the nines? Does that sound about right?”

Felicity smiled tightly. “That’s about right.” Too right.

Beth whistled low. “I saw her in those magazines too. She’s on like every other page. So he gets to bond to the pretty blond woman? No fair.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Felicity played it cool but fact was this bothered her. Talking so flippantly about Julianna mating with the man that drove her wild didn’t exactly make her feel good. It made her feel sick to her stomach.

“Why bond with her? They close or something?”

“Well, his father died of a rare disease a few months ago and the big election is coming up. I guess since his father was president of the council for so long everyone expects he’ll get the nomination. But he needs a bruid. All presidents had one when they were elected. Those who didn’t never won. Plus Julianna has a great history with her family. People like her. He’ll get voted in for sure.”

“What’s a bruid?” Beth said rolling the “r” as Felicity did.

“Exactly what it sounds like I guess. The female who’s getting mated is called a bruid. When two vampires are mated they form a blood bond. It’s actually called sanguis vanculo. You find the one you want to bond with, there’s a ceremony, blood is drawn and shared, you have sex, there’s possibly a fight and so on. A blood bond.” She shrugged.

Beth got up to start fixing her tea. “Whoa, wait, blood, sex, and fighting. The blood I get. Swapping and drinking it or whatever you all do. Sex I get, that one is pretty universal, but the fighting? Where does that fit in?”

Felicity had never seen a challenge personally; they were rare. “Before the ceremony ends, if another male or female would like to fight—like a challenge—for the rights to one of the mates then they can do so. If either one wins then they will take the place of the original person.”

Beth gave her a say-what? look before she dumped a gallon of sugar into her tea. “So, wait now, let me see if I get this. Let’s say I wanted to bond with Dominic Blackmoore. Then I could attend this ceremony, interrupt it at the right time to challenge Julianna, and if I win then I can take her place to be his bruid?”

Felicity shrugged. “Pretty much. It’s rare but it happens sometimes. Usually it’s a male fighting over the woman. They deck it out and whoever wins gets to claim her.”

“That sounds pretty unfair. What if they’re desperately in love and the man loses and has to give her up?”

Another shrug. “The law comes from a long time ago when things were still pretty archaic. It comes from the whole ‘might is right’ idea where stronger males and females will make stronger offspring. Makes sense if you think about it like that.”

“Riiiiight,” drawled Beth. She sat down across the table with her tea and leveled her chocolate eyes on Felicity. “So you really like him, don’t you?”

Felicity looked up at the ceiling feeling that heavy weight in her chest grow. “I do. There’s just something about him. He makes me feel...he makes me feel special. It’s like there’s something between us. He can’t take his eyes off me. He didn’t even look at Julianna the same way and she’s a knockout. Seriously, however gorgeous she is in V-Society she’s a hundred times more beautiful in person. So unfair...”

“What are you gonna do about it?” Beth said gently.

“What can I do but ignore it? Make sure he knows I’m off limits. I mean he’s getting mated in a month and I’m planning it for him. I can’t be having an affair with him.”

“Do you think he’ll agree to stay away from you?” Beth sipped at her steaming tea.

“Hell no,” Felicity snorted. “He isn’t the type. I’ll have to figure something out. It’s like the second he touches me I just...melt.”

Beth blew out a dreamy sigh. “That’s how I feel listening to Lucas Blackmoore sing.”

At the mention of Lucas Blackmoore, Felicity shot up, darted across the house to her bedroom in a blur, and then returned to the kitchen table with a huge grin on her face. Beth did a double take.

“I hate when you move so fast. You know I can’t see it.”

“I got a surprise for you. That’s why I called you here.”

Instead of looking excited Beth’s face shut down growing wary. “What is it?” Beth hated surprises. All the more reason Felicity loved to surprise her.

“I met someone yesterday,” Felicity said in a sing-song voice.

Beth tensed. “Who?”

Felicity leaned down and said in a loud whisper, “Lucas Blackmoore.”

Beth shot up from her seat, the chair wobbled back, nearly falling over. Her bad leg wobbled but she righted it, breathing hard. A strange look came over her face part-excitement, part-terrified. Weird.

“What happened?” Beth said.

“Oh, he’s just a great guy. He’s nice, funny, seriously good looking. Oh, and I told him about how you like his music.”

Felicity had never seen Beth blush, but now she did. Even with her dark skin she could see it darken from caramel to mocha. “You did not.”

Felicity froze. Beth didn’t sound excited in the least. She almost sounded devastated.

“Are you okay?”

Beth blinked then nodded quickly, but Felicity watched her swallow hard.

“Honey, what’s wrong? You can tell me. You know you can trust me.”

Beth grabbed onto the chair in front of her, digging her fingers into the wood until her knuckles flexed. “I really like his music.”

Felicity blinked. “Yes, which is why I thought you’d be excited that I got—”

“No, I really like his music. And him. I dream about him.”

“What?” Felicity’s eyebrows rose straight to her hairline. “Like a sexy fantasy thing? I mean he is freakishly hot. The goatee thing, I can dig it.”

“No.” She jerked her head hard. “Almost every night. We’re together. Sometimes it’s sex, sometimes it’s more. But we’re always together.”

“Oh, well I’m sure it’ll go away.” She tried for encouragement because this was a little strange.

Beth laughed, the sound hollow with something close to pain. “I’ve been having these dreams for two years.”

Felicity jerked. “Two years you’ve dreamed of him? Every night?”

Beth nodded slowly, almost painfully as if this was the most embarrassing secret to reveal ever. Felicity could see why now.

“Well that’s...pretty intense.”

Beth continued to nod, her eyes wide. “I go to all of his shows. It kills my budget but even if it means I have to work overtime, I make every concert. Any of his local shows I can get into I do. I always sit in the back.” Her hands squeezed the chair so hard it was a wonder it didn’t snap. “I swear it’s shameful how much I like it. I sit in the back by myself losing myself in his words...his voice.” Beth’s voice took a hypnotic quality as she spoke about him.

Unease filled Felicity but she lifted the envelope the messenger brought her with the two tickets in it. “Well, he gave me two tickets to see his band play tonight at the Coyote Theater. I don’t suppose you wanna go?”

Beth blinked slowly. “I couldn’t get tickets to that show. Sold out within the first day and the tickets were fifty dollars more than usual and that was for back row seats. You have tickets to see Lucas Blackmoore tonight?” She repeated it slower as if trying to comprehend them.

“Yes.”

Suddenly the tickets were snatched from her hands.

Beth squealed—actually squealed like a sixteen-year-old girl whose parents just bought her a car.

“Row one seats ‘g’ and ‘h’.”

“Yeah,” Felicity said not sure why that sounded so important to Beth. Seats were seats.

Beth let go of the chair to squeeze Felicity’s shoulders in an iron grip. “That’s the first row in the theater and seats ‘g’ and ‘h’ are in the middle. As in he’ll be right in front of us!”

Felicity grinned. “Then it looks like we need to get ready.”

Beth’s eyes turned frantic as she looked down at herself. Of course she looked hot as always in her designer skinny jeans that showed off her powerful thighs and ass to perfection and her sexy tan leather boots that went up to her calf. She had a white blouse with a tan leather jacket on over that and gold hoop earring dangling from her ears. She looked gorgeous as always.

“I have to go home and get dressed!”

“Honey, you look pretty bangable from where I’m standing.”

Beth shook her head fiercely. “Get dressed fast. We’re heading to my place. I will not be late.” Her voice turned into military commands, delivering rapid fast commands.

Felicity checked the time. “We have plenty of time.”

Beth’s wild eyes met hers. “I always get there early.”

“O-kay.”

Felicity dressed in a pair of rugged looking jeans. They were her favorite pair because they fit like a sexy glove. She blow-dried her hair so the curls spiraled some more and then she powered on some mascara, eyeliners, and blush—her typical routine. By the time she pulled on a short-sleeved black t-shirt and grabbed her jacket, Beth was waiting at the front door tapping her foot.

“Honey, I don’t see why we have to go to your place. You still look better than I do and I just got ready.”

“I always dress my best for LBB and tonight will not be any different. Not when I’ll be in the front row.”

Felicity sighed and then piled into Beth’s much nicer car.

Beth rented a condo on the outskirts of downtown where newer developments were being built over the broken down, boarded up buildings. It cost a pretty penny but came fully furnished which was something Beth had desperately wanted after leaving the military. After she’d come home, her previous boyfriend had taken all of their furniture so it was either buy all new or buy fully-furnished. She chose the latter.

As Felicity took a seat on her friend’s brown suede sofa, she heard a familiar ring.

Beth headed towards the bedroom already kicking off her boots and flinging her leather jacket to the ground. “I’ll be quick.”

Felicity checked the time then shouted, “You better, we only have an hour and a half.”

Beth gave a panicked squeal, and then turned on a radio. The sound of Lucas Blackmoore’s voice came loud and clear through the condo. The man had a seriously sexy voice. He had the versatility of Jim Morrison and the seductiveness of Chris Isaak.

Again that high-pitch ring sounded.

Then it hit her. Her cell phone.

Felicity dug in her purse and pulled out the old thing. Her eyes widened as she saw indeed someone was calling her. Funny thing though, she might have been paid yesterday but she hadn’t paid the bill to get her phone turned back on yet. The only reason she kept it on her was so to check the time. Felicity wasn’t much of a watch wearing kind of girl. She didn’t like things slinking around on her wrists.

The number on the screen didn’t look familiar but she pressed the button to take the call and answered.

“Hello?”

A moment passed, then, “Felicity.”

Goose bumps beaded over her skin. A fluttery breath escaped her as her body responded to that voice. Her eyes closed and a vision of Dominic Blackmoore sitting down with his jacket spread open, eyes blazing with anger and something hot staring straight into her, came to mind.

“How…” she coughed to clear her dry throat, “How did you get this number?”

“I had your service turned back on. Getting your number was easy. My brother works in protective services. Getting a phone number is hardly challenging for him.”

Felicity straightened. “How can you just pay my bill and why?” God that made her feel low. For him to know she was more than two months behind on her phone bill. Shame burned her cheeks red.

His voice turned brusque. “You work for me now. I need to be able to get into contact with you anytime I need to. So I had your phone turned back on.” He paused, then cursed. “Is that my brother singing in the background?”

Felicity peered into Beth’s bedroom but Beth was oblivious to the strange phone calling happening right now.

“Yes it is.”

A hard pause. She could feel the tension in him growing. “I expect to see you at my office tonight at midnight.”

She sputtered even as her heart raced at the thought of seeing him again...in his office. Why did that sound sexy? “What for?”

“To begin work,” he said. “You did get paid did you not?”

“You know I did.”

“Then it’s time to start working. I’m sure you know there is much to go over. The avenue where we will hold the ceremony, your account for purchases, designs, and so on. I expect to start tonight.”

God, she just knew working with him, possibly alone, would be a very bad thing.

“I’m sorry I can’t do it tonight. I’m going to a concert.”

She heard him shift. “Luc,” was all he said.

Felicity’s breath caught at that one word. He expressed so much in that one word. Jealousy, anger, frustration. All in a word, and it made her feel good. He thought she was into his brother and that made him mad. What was her reaction to that news—a big smile.

“I’m taking my friend to his concert tonight downtown.”

Beth came out of the bedroom looking incredible in an off-the-shoulder dress that fell to mid-thigh. It had a yellow and white flower pattern that showed off her coloring to perfection. She’d added a little more makeup, a necklace with a gold drop pendant, and a pair of yellow, tall heels. Yup, only she could actually manage to look better than she had before.

“After the concert I expect to see you in my office. Do you know where it is?”

“What? No,” Felicity said distractedly. Beth eyed her with a grin as she mimed using the phone with her hand and pressed it to her head. Is that him, she mouthed. Felicity nodded, trying to stifle a laugh.

“Then I’ll have my driver pick you up. His name is Anton. Expect him at midnight.”

“What, no, listen I’m not riding with him just give me the address and—”

Click.

Felicity’s draw dropped. “He hung up on me!”

Beth grabbed her purse, flinging her long hair over a shoulder. “You’ll just have to make him pay for that.”

Felicity tried not to smile but she couldn’t contain. “I guess I will.”