Once Forbidden (4 page)

She
stiffened. “What choice?” she demanded bitterly.

He
kept his eyes on her face; not letting them linger on her wet naked body. “I
can take away the pain, Sarah. I can make you whole again,” he said quietly,
silently willing her to at least consider the idea.

She
shook her head. “I can’t,” she cried. “I don’t want to be—what you are.”

Devlin
sighed. “How do you know? Spend the day with me. Travel with me. See what my life
is really like,” he prodded, keeping his voice soft and hypnotic. “Let me take
you away—just for today.”

Sarah
looked at him for a long moment before answering. “Where?” She didn’t bother
covering herself. He’d already seen her—touched her.

Devlin
shrugged his shoulders. “Australia, perhaps,” he said quietly. “It’s dark
there.”

“Let
me finish in here. I’ll be out in a few minutes,” she said with a calmness she
was far from feeling.

“I’ll
have to wait in here, Sarah. I can’t go into your room; not if your blinds are
open.”

She
sighed. Of course he couldn’t. It was almost sunrise. “I’ll be out in a
minute.”

His
smile was full of promise as he looked at her, letting his eyes rake her from
head to toe. “I could wash your back,” he offered huskily. Her ruined face
wasn’t at all a deterrent for him. It was her spirit he’d fallen for, and that
hadn’t diminished from the fire.

“No,
not when I’m like this,” she said brokenly.

He
smiled and kicked off his shoes and moved his hands to the buttons on his white
shirt. “You’re beautiful,” he said huskily. “Touch your face,” he ordered,
making it a command she was helpless to disobey. In the blink of an eye she was
as she’d been. It was what she needed from him now after all. “Let me in,” he
repeated. He would be with her and that should prevent another emotional storm.
His error had been in letting her awake alone.

“Yes,”
she said, touching her face and upper chest, letting her hands trail to her
breasts.

He
tossed aside the shirt and moved his hands to the buckle of his belt. He wanted
her to watch him. He moved slowly, knowing he was intensifying her desire as he
did so. “Do you like what you see?” he asked, his voice deep and low.

“You
know I do,” she whispered. She stepped aside for him to enter the shower stall.
There wasn’t really enough room for two people inside it, but she backed
against the wall.

Devlin
smiled as he walked into the shower. He knew that she didn’t yet realize that
he didn’t see her with the beautiful face. He was immune to his own illusions.
Still, he found her the most intoxicating woman he’d ever known. His eyes
trailed down from her head to her soft breasts and flat stomach and to the
light curls beyond. He hardened instantly.

He
stepped inside the small space and drew her into his arms, letting her feel the
long hard length of his penis against her belly. “Tell me you want me,” he
demanded again, though he didn’t compel her to answer. He wanted this to be her
choice.

“I
want you,” she said readily. She groaned as his hands found her breasts, and
tilted her head up for his kiss.

He
kept his eyes on hers and lifted her. “Put your legs around me,” he said
huskily. When she’d complied, he drove inside her in one powerful thrust. Her
inner muscles clenched around him almost immediately and he groaned, moving
forward so her back was against the shower stall wall. “Yes, like that,” he
growled. “Just like that.” Lowering his head, he kissed her hard, driving his
tongue inside and drinking in her essence.

Devlin
lifted his head and saw nothing but those beautiful eyes, dark with passion
now. He lowered his head and nipped her neck gently. He felt the pulse beating
there and wanted desperately to sink his teeth in and taste her. But he didn’t.
Not now. He felt the hot rush of his blood as she moaned her pleasure.

He
didn’t prolong his lovemaking; he drove her ruthlessly to climax, driving into
her deeply with each powerful stroke. Her legs wrapped around him tighter and
still he thrust, making her take all of him. “Yes!” he said on a groan as he felt
her clench around him, her climaxing shudders sending him over his own edge.

When
it was over, her head rested weakly on his shoulder. He continued to hold her,
not quite ready to let her go. “This is what you want, Sarah. Admit it to
yourself if not to me.”

She
looked up at him, her gaze steady. “Yes, this is what I want,” she admitted,
her voice raw.

His
eyes sharpened. “What exactly is it you’re agreeing to, Sarah? Do you want me
to change you? Do you want me to give you a new life?”

He
waited tensely for her answer, reading her eyes carefully.

.

Chapter Four

“I’m
afraid, Devlin,” she said at last, lowering her eyes.

Devlin
made a sound low in his throat that could have been a growl or a curse, but his
voice was gentle when he spoke. “Tell me what you’re afraid of, love. I don’t
think you’re afraid of me. I would never cause you harm.”

Sarah’s
head snapped up quickly and she shook her head instantly. “Of course I’m not
afraid of you, Devlin. I know you won’t hurt me.”

Devin
relaxed and continued to watch her. “Then tell me what it is you’re afraid of,
Sarah. I can’t help if you don’t tell me.” He withdrew from her, but kept his
hands on her shoulders.

“I’m
afraid that I’d miss being human. I just can’t decide. Can’t you give me some
time, Devlin? Must I decide right now?”

Devlin
bit back his impatience. Although there was no reason to wait as far as he
could see, there obviously was to Sarah. “No, you don’t have to decide right
now, Sarah. But I still want you to spend the day with me. Will you go away
with me today?”

“Where?”
she asked again.

“Australia, just like I said.”

Her
blue eyes widened. “Australia? You can get us to Australia?”

Devlin
chuckled. “In the blink of an eye. We can go see the Opera House. Of course, it
won’t be open, but we can walk along the water if you’d like.”

“I’d
like,” she said with a bright smile. “Would I be able to do that? Just want to
go and be there?”

Devlin
nodded. “I’d teach you, Sarah. I’d teach you all that you’d need to know,” he
promised very seriously.

Sarah
looked at him, considering, and sighed. “I just can’t decide,” she repeated
softly, sadly.

“Then
don’t decide right now. For now, we’ll just enjoy our time together.” He moved
back so she could get out of the small shower stall, and gave her a light swat
on the bottom on her way out. “Get dressed and we’ll go.”

Sarah
looked over her shoulder with widened eyes. “Did you really just smack me?”

His
answering grin was wicked. He swatted her again with just a tad more purpose. “Yes.”

Sarah
giggled. “Just checking.”

Hell,
she’d liked it, Devlin mused. Devlin put that little tidbit of information away
for later use. “Hurry, love. Get dressed.”

Sarah
nodded and grabbed a towel from the rack. Devlin took it from her fingers and
started to dry her off. His mouth literally watered as he watched the droplets
of water slide down her shoulder. Unable to stop himself, he ran his finger up
her shoulder blade and captured the droplet. Such impossibly soft skin, he
mused. Her back wasn’t scarred. The skin here was soft and undamaged.

He
felt her shudder and smiled to himself. In this, even without his ability to
control her with his mind, he had a power over her. Sarah loved the feel of his
hands on her. How easy it would be for him to simply take the choice from
her—to simply compel her to let him change her—he could make her think it was
even her idea. He moved his hand down, letting the towel slip so his fingers
caressed her back, and he paused at the small dimple at the base of her spine. Hell,
she had as much power over him. If he didn’t stop, they’d never make it out of
the bathroom before dark!

He
handed the towel back to her abruptly. “Go into the other room and get ready,”
he said huskily. Touching her was too big a temptation. A big part of him
wanted to drag her back into the shower and make love to her again. “Go now.”

Sarah
saw the look of desire on his face. “But—“

He
pushed her toward the door. “Go!” he ordered.

Sarah
laughed and sauntered out of the bathroom, wiggling her bottom, careful to shut
the door so she didn’t let any light into the small bathroom.

Devlin
muttered about minxes as he picked up another towel and dried off, and he
quickly dressed again. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that she’d be
happy with him if she’d let herself. It was more than obvious to him that she
was a perfect match for him in every way.

Everything
about Sarah made him want her.

Her
lovemaking was innocent and wanton at the same time. Devlin had never met a
woman—vampire or human—that had met his passion with such an intriguing mix of
innocence and unhidden need.

Devlin
respected her valor. Not many women would run not once—but twice—into a burning
building. She would be a loyal mate, he knew.

Devlin
was by nature dominant. While he had no doubt that Sarah would stand up for herself,
he sensed that she was likely submissive by nature. That pleased him beyond
measure. Contrary to popular belief—even among his own kind—submissive women
weren’t weak women.

No,
there was nothing weak about his Sarah.

His.

She
was his. It was as simple and complicated as that.

Still,
when it was all said and done, it was still forbidden to change a human. Devlin
knew that Carina wouldn’t cause him any problems if he changed Sarah—but the
other Elders could, though that wasn’t his biggest concern—the Hunters were.

Somehow,
he’d have to devise a way to protect her from them.

But—at
the end of it all—she was
his
and even if she decided that she couldn’t
accept being a vampire, he’d stay with her. It would hurt him to watch her grow
old and die—but he wasn’t leaving her.

Already
he’d broken his own rules. He’d invaded her dreams.

He’d
made contact with her.

If
he changed her, he’d bring down the wrath of the Hunters and possibly the
Elders—despite Carina knowing how he felt.

Devlin
sighed and clenched his jaw.

None
of it mattered as long as she was safe and happy.

She
was
his.

Chapter Five

“Sarah!”

“What?”

Devin
sighed impatiently and loudly. “Are you ready yet?”

Sarah
laughed. “Almost.” She’d kept him waiting for ten minutes, knowing that by now
he’d be getting ready to climb the walls. “I’m hurrying,” she fibbed.

She
felt light and free today. Her reflection didn’t return scars when she put on
her makeup. She felt alive for the first time in months.

“Sarah?”

“Yes?”
she purred.

“Would
you like to know what I’m going to do if you’re not in here and ready to go in
the next two minutes?” he asked in a conversational tone.

Sarah
had been about to pick up her sweater off the chair, but she paused. Something
in that tone…”Umm…yes.”

“First,
I’m going to take all your clothes off,” Devlin began.

Sarah
felt heat move up her face. Well, that certainly didn’t worry her!  In fact, it
sounded rather pleasant!  “Okay,” she said trying not to giggle.

“Second,
I’m going to pull you across my knee and spank your cute little ass,” he
promised, his voice a deep growl now.

Sarah
gulped and hurriedly grabbed her sweater and purse and ran into the bathroom. She
didn’t think for a minute that he’d ever actually do such a thing, but decided
maybe it was better if she didn’t take the chance. “I hurried!” she assured him
as she shut the bathroom door.