Dark Ghost (25 page)

“Are they still alive?”

“Yes. They went to the United States. I was supposed to go with them, but I stayed behind because I ran across the trail of a master vampire and his followers.” He brushed a kiss over the top of her head. “If I had not done so, I would not have discovered my lifemate.”

“Who was the man who came to save you?”

Andre sighed. “Roman Daratrazanoff. He was second-in-command to the prince of our people. He came too late.”

“I’m so sorry, Andre.” Teagan felt the weight of her hair as it slid from the braids as if by magic. His fingers were already diving deep, as if he had found a treasure. “That’s where you got those scars.”

“I kept them. Roman was a great healer. He made certain I stayed alive, but I kept the scars to remind me.”

She tilted her head to look at him. There were drops of blood tracking down his face. She wiped at them with her thumb, unable to determine where they came from. “You have a memory that has refused to go away, Andre. You’re already scarred. You didn’t need to keep them.”

“Four of them.”

“I don’t understand.”

“One for each of them.” He touched his left shoulder. “Ion.” His right shoulder. “Dorina.” The left side of his rib cage. “Euard.” The right side. “Elena.”

Her throat closed, clogged with tears. “Of course,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Andre.” She recognized that the four scars were his tribute to the family he’d loved.

“Then you will understand why I have to do this.”

Her heart jumped. She bit her lip. His fists tightened in her hair. “Do what?”

“Make you wholly mine.”

“You’ve already done that, Andre. I told you I wasn’t going anywhere. I just want to make it clear I’m not okay with the blood thing. You can take my blood. It’s sort of sexy, but no way am I taking yours.”

She looked up at him. Met his eyes so he would understand she was laying down the rules of their relationship. She could accept what he was, but she definitely drew the line at ingesting his blood. That was just plain
eww
and she wasn’t going there.

“You still do not understand. I slept with you aboveground, Teagan, but I cannot continue to do that on a regular basis. The soil heals and rejuvenates me. I must go to ground, especially after I have been wounded. If I do not, it weakens me. I cannot protect you when I am in the Carpathian sleep. You wandered off and put yourself in danger.”

She swallowed hard. She’d known. It wasn’t as if this came as a shock. She’d already suspected that he slept in the ground. She just didn’t want to think of him as a vampire. Clearly he wasn’t, but he definitely wasn’t human either.

“I learned my lesson. I’m not going out on my own. I’ll hang right next to you, wherever you’re sleeping.
Above
ground, but still, very close to you.”

Andre buried his face in her hair. “You know that will not work. We cannot be separated. Already your mind turns to mine. Once you cannot reach me, you will believe I am dead and that will be dangerous as well.”

Now she didn’t understand. She was a perfectly logical person. If she saw him sleeping in the ground she would know exactly what he was doing, right? “Andre, I’m totally committed to this relationship and you have to know that’s huge for me. I’ve never heard of Carpathians and I always thought vampires were a myth. I’m taking in a lot right now.”

“I know that, Teagan. I am well aware of the fact that I have had to push you faster and much further than I ever wanted to.”

“Tell me about your people. That will help me feel like I’m not completely crazy. I actually considered that my grandmother might need to go to a hospital or at the very least, go on medication, and all this time she was right. Maybe if I know what’s going on, I can convince my sisters…”

“No. Our people cannot ever be known to humans. You know why, Teagan. We are nearly extinct as it is. There is a group, probably the one your grandmother is involved with, who hunt and kill everyone they consider vampire. They cannot tell the difference between Carpathian and the undead. They sometimes even kill humans they just do not like.”

Teagan could understand why he didn’t want anyone to know about his species. Still. Her grandmother wasn’t crazy, and Andre was living proof of that. “Okay, I’ll find another way to convince my family. But please tell me about Carpathians so I understand you better.”

“We have existed for centuries. We have longevity, so long it seems that we are immortal, but we can be killed. We must have blood to survive, but we are very careful of our suppliers. They are treated with respect and never frightened. We do not, of course, allow them to remember anything.”

“You took my blood that first time and I didn’t remember.” But she did. She just thought it was an erotic dream. She put her hand over the pulse beating in her neck. Holding him to her. That’s what it felt like, as if she were holding him to her.

“Yes,
sivamet
, I took your blood. I
have
to take your blood. It is erotic to me as well.”

Teagan sucked in her breath. For the first time in her life she experienced jealousy. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t comfortable. “I’m not certain I like that at all, you taking pleasure from some other person’s blood.”

“T
eagan.”

There it was again, his voice that caressed her skin and sent hungry little flames dancing through her body so she went damp and needy.

“Not with others. I feel nothing at all when I take blood from others.” There was a small smile in his voice. “I do not feel anything for other women, let alone when I am feeding, Teagan. I never have. There is only you.”

Teagan let her breath out slowly. “Good to know. I’m the type of woman who might get very inventive if I ever found out my man was cheating on me.”

“Inventive?”

“I might have an accident with a pair of scissors.”

“I see.”

He lifted her hair from her neck and nuzzled the soft skin there. A shiver went down her spine. His teeth nipped and scraped and his tongue teased. She closed her eyes. He was hot. Just plain hot. And she was weak. He wouldn’t have any arguments from her if he kept that up.

“I like the sound of your voice, Teagan. I like the way you laugh. You are a breath of fresh air. There were times I felt I could not breathe. There was no air left for me on this planet and then you came along and turned my world to color. You breathe for me. Did you know that?”

His mouth was at her hair, licking behind it, teeth tugging on her earlobe. Her stomach did a flip. Her breasts ached. The area between her legs grew hotter. Who said things like that? Was there a man on earth who could make his woman feel more beautiful or special? If there was, she’d never met him.

“Look at me,
sivamet
. I need your mouth right now.”

She forgot all about learning about his people. No one kissed like him either, and she wanted to taste him. She was almost desperate for his kisses and he’d barely touched her. She liked the way he said that – that he
needed
her mouth – because she was fairly certain she needed his as well.

Teagan turned her face up to his. His eyes drifted over her face possessively. No doubt about it, there was total possession in all that darkening blue. Her stomach somersaulted. She knew that change in color. The way his eyes went from ice to warm, to melting, straight to liquid, and his were way past that already. She might be a modern woman, well versed in how men didn’t own a woman, but she liked that look of possession. Call her primitive, she didn’t care. She liked that he said she belonged to him – and he to her. It was sexy. Thrilling. Somehow safe.

“There are no words to describe what I feel for you,” he murmured softly.

She smoothed her palm over his chest up to his shoulder, feeling the ridged scar there beneath his shirt. “I feel the same way,” she admitted. “Stop talking and kiss me.”

The faintest bit of humor slipped into his eyes and then his mouth was on hers. Destroying her for anyone else. No one could kiss like Andre. No one could make her body melt like his did. He kissed her over and over, barely letting her come up for air, but then she didn’t want air. She wanted him. His hand slipped down the column of her throat and circled there, so that her pulse pounded into his palm.

His gentle kiss grew aggressive, rougher, hotter, definitely in command. She didn’t know what she was doing, but it didn’t matter, she followed his lead. She was determined to be good at this. She wanted to be everything for him, including very good at kissing.

He kissed his way down to her chin and nipped her there. The sharp little sting sent an arrow of fire straight to her sex. She heard a soft little moan escape despite how hard she tried to suppress it. Instantly she buried her face in his neck, knowing the color swept up her body.

“Teagan, I like to hear you. I want to hear you. You can never be embarrassed or ashamed with me. I am your lifemate.”

“But I don’t even know how to kiss you properly. And you’re so good at it. I mean like off-the-planet good. I don’t know how to touch you, or… or anything.”

“I like teaching you things. I had centuries to prepare for my woman. Carpathian males believe in being prepared. It is up to us to make sex good for our lifemate so we study. We acquire knowledge. We learn. We need things to occupy our minds, so although we do not feel, we study.”

She made a face. “Are you telling me you’ve been a hound dog for centuries? Because I really don’t want to hear that.”

“No,
csitri
, I am telling you I studied an art and I acquired as much information about it as possible so I could please you. I told you, more than once, I cannot feel anything for another woman.”

She found herself very happy with that. And she liked the idea that he’d acquired a great deal of knowledge just for her.

He leaned down and kissed her throat. His hand moved and her shirt and panties were gone, just like that. She thought that particular gift wasn’t just magical, it was
way
practical. His hand came up to her breast, cupping the soft, slight weight, finger and thumb strumming gently on her nipple, sending another shiver through her body. Then he was grasping, tugging and rolling, and her veins turned hot and molten. The breath left her lungs in a mad rush and another sound escaped – another soft moan.

“Are you wet for me?” he murmured against her collarbone.

She swallowed hard. She wasn’t just wet, she was
very
wet. If he kept using his fingers and tongue and teeth like that, she’d be soaked.

“Yes.” She could barely get the word out. “For you.”

He kissed her again. Long. Hard. Amazing. Perfect. When he lifted his head, his eyes glittered, dark with passion.

“Put your arms around my neck.”

It was her only warning and then he was up with her cradled in his arms and floating them across the cave straight to the bed. She loved the feeling of moving through the air, clinging to him, holding him close. Neither wore clothes, and this time, she wanted to see him, to touch him. She’d been shy before and she still was a little intimidated, but he belonged to her. He made that very clear and she felt it was true with every breath she took.

She felt the mattress at her back, her legs and arms sprawled out, and before she could move, he was on her, blanketing her. He was big and his weight should have suffocated her, but she only felt his hard, strong body over hers. His heat. His muscles. His very heavy erection. That sent another rush of dampness to the junction of her legs.

“I love that you are ready for me. I love that my woman welcomes me.”

“You kissed me,” she pointed out.

His hands framed either side of her head. His blue eyes drifted over her face, his gaze hot. Intense. Possessive. Filled with lust. Oh. My. God. So blue she was reminded of the deepest arctic sea. Another rush of liquid. Her heart stuttered.

“Is that all it takes?”

“From you, yes.” She was honest. “You get the same results looking at me. Or touching me. Holding my hand can do it. Just standing there looking gorgeous could —”

He kissed her, cutting her off. She was quite happy that he did. His fingers found hers, threaded through them and stretched her arms out on either side of her head as he kissed her until she forgot how to breathe without him. Until her body was on fire and there was no one else in the world but the two of them.

He kissed his way down to her chin and then was at her ear, teeth tugging on her earlobe before following a path along her collarbone. She had to gasp, to find a way for her lungs to work, her hands straining against his, wanting to feel him. Touch him.

“This isn’t fair,” she whispered.

He transferred both hands to one of his, keeping her arms stretched above her head, this time pinning both wrists to the mattress.

“Was I supposed to be fair about something?” he asked. “I am of the ancient world, not the modern world.”

He was teasing her. Tormenting and teasing. She squirmed beneath him, but his body had her just as firmly pinned as his hand did.

“Andre.” She gasped his name on one of those rare moments she could find air.

He pressed kisses down the slight slope of her breast and nuzzled her nipple. His tongue stroked. She felt the edge of his teeth. Her body nearly convulsed with pleasure.

“I need you in me.”

“You will get me.” His voice was lazy. Sexy.

He didn’t look up, he was busy at her breasts, using his tongue, his teeth and his clever, wicked fingers. His mouth closed over her left breast and he suckled strongly.

“Andre.” She cried out his name, arching into him. Her head went back, thrashing on the pillow.

“I love to hear my name when you get close. You are close. I feel it. I have not yet entered your body and you are already close.” There was satisfaction in his voice. “I want you to give this to me,
sivamet
. I need this.”

His whispered words were so sexy. The brush of his long hair against her skin fed the fire growing in her. She was burning up, and he was so perfectly in control. It wasn’t fair. She needed to find a way to make him burn, but with her hands pinned, it was impossible. She could only lie beneath him, her hips bucking, her body coiling with tension, tighter and tighter.

His teeth suddenly sank into her, right above her breast, right on the swelling curve. She cried out, her body exploding, imploding, the orgasm crashing over her. He let go of her hands and she wrapped both arms around his head, cradling him to her while he fed. It was the most erotic, sensual thing she had ever experienced. The wave took her hard, rushing through her body like a tsunami. She loved the feel of his mouth on her, his hands sliding over her skin, moving down, down past her belly and cupping her sex. What little breath she had left was gone when he pushed a finger into her. Deep. Possessively.

Mine.
 

That sent another wave of heat rushing through her like a firestorm. Her tight muscles clamped down hard around his finger, trying to draw him deeper. She loved being his. She loved how strong he felt. She loved that he could pin her to a mattress with his powerful body and not squish her. She loved the way he pushed a second finger into her to join the first and her body began that amazing build all over again.

I love the way you taste. So addictive. I will never get my fill. Centuries. And I will never get my fill.
 

She wanted to be addictive. She wanted it so much she closed her ears to the word
centuries
. The one he threw around so casually.

His tongue licked at the curve of her breast and then he was kissing his way down her stomach. Her fists found his hair. He was on a mission, leaving a trail of fire behind him. His large hands wrapped around her thighs and parted them. She gasped and tried to come off the mattress. He planted one hand on her belly, his head coming up.

Her heart nearly stopped at the look in his eyes. She’d never seen that particular look and, truthfully, it was a little bit scary. Hot. Predatory. Intense. Possessive. Definitely lust. Something else that made her subside. A demand. He could do that. Make her weak. Modern or not. Especially when he dropped his head and his mouth was on her – there, between her legs – and she came apart a second time.

It happened so fast. So unexpectedly. Sneaking up on her and taking possession of her before she could catch her breath. He didn’t stop. His tongue and his teeth and his fingers continued to move in her. Press into her. Stroke that sweet, wonderful spot that sent tremors through her body, sent walls of flame dancing through her and shocks that rocked her over and over.

“Andre.” She whispered his name. Moaned it. “It’s too much.”

Again. More. I need more. Give it to me again. You taste like nectar. So perfect. Give me more, sivamet.
 

He was driving her up again. Hard. Fast. Relentless. Ruthless even. His mouth was pure sin. His tongue wicked. His fingers clever and demanding. This time the tsunami took her with such strength, spreading up to her breasts and down to her thighs, so strong her body shuddered and she felt tears burning her eyes at the sheer miracle of such sensation.

He lifted his head and was on her again, rolling them so he was on the bottom and she was on the top. He lifted her by the waist, straight up in the air.

“Straddle me,
csitri.
Legs on either side of my hips. Take me in your hand.”

She did what he said, wrapping her fist around the hot thickness of his shaft. He all but slammed her down right over him, impaling her, forcing her to remove her hand, to fight for air while fire streaked through her body and rushed through her veins.

His fingers bit deep into her as he urged her to move, to ride him. He filled her completely, so thick and hard she felt stretched and full. It was exquisite. Beautiful. Perfect.

His hands slid around to her bottom. Slid up her back and began to apply pressure until she was lying against his chest, his body moving in hers. Controlling the rhythm. His hands went to her hair, fingers sliding through the length of it.

“Avio päläfertiilam
, come into my world with me,” he murmured softly. He tugged her head up and leaned up to kiss her.

His kisses were extraordinary. She felt light-headed. Dazed. In love. The movement of his hips, his body moving in hers was delicious.

“Find the rhythm,
päläfertiilam
, find my heart. Hear my pulse? The blood in my veins calls to you. Kiss me.”

Teagan kissed him. She found she could kiss much better than she thought she could. She burned. Deep inside. In her mind. She needed. She craved his taste. There, on her tongue, she was addicted to his taste. She had to have more. She kissed her way along his strong jaw, down his throat. She licked at his flat nipple and nipped at his skin with her teeth.

His hand came up between her mouth and his skin. Between that strong, dark pulse beckoning to her. His hand was gone and then was back to shaping her skull, urging her mouth against him once more. She licked at skin and there it was. That delicious, addictive taste. Every cell in her body went wild. Out of control. Her muscles clamped down hard around him, holding him to her as he rocked her body with more force, sending streaks of fire through her.

She lapped at his skin and then clamped her mouth on him, suckling, drawing the hot, spicy masculine taste that was all Andre into her mouth and down her throat. Flames spread from her throat to her every organ. Every cell. She could feel the fire building and building and it wasn’t enough.