Ravenous (Siren Publishing Classic) (4 page)

Emma felt trapped. She did not want to divulge any information that could lead to him knowing about her past. He might send her away. He may decide she was unfit to teach his children. She must think quickly!

“I was passing through London, after I lost my mother and brother, looking for employment, when I overheard a conversation between two maids at the market. When I say I heard it from a stranger, it was a real stranger. As soon as I heard this news I came directly here. I realize it may seem incredible, and the story is fantastic, however, I came here in hopes the position was available.”

Gabriel examined her blue eyes and saw that she was in earnest. She may well not be telling him the whole truth, but she was in desperate need of employment. His long-ago-deceased heart pinched with yearning for this woman. He had lost his family when he was turned.

“I see, Miss Goodwin. You seem to have a firm grasp of the children. Thus far I am very gratified with their first day,” he said.

A small blush colored her cheeks at his compliment, and he found himself wanting more time with her. Simply, he wanted more of her.

As Emma lay upon her bed that night, she could not get her new employer out of her weary mind. He was purely the handsomest of men. She had made many acquaintances at court, and the noblemen of the
ton
could simply not compare to that of his lordship. If she were in her home in London, she would take an immediate liking to him. He would possibly ask her to dance and pay her compliments. Perhaps he would call upon her in her father’s home and take her for a morning ride through Hyde Park among the morning dew. He would court her with lovely flowers and words of sentiment.

Emma began to fantasize how it would be to have him hold her hand, to be in his arms, to feel his lips upon her cheek. She had never been kissed before. She could only imagine the warmth of his skin under her hands.

She began to tremble as images forbidden yet delicious entered her thoughts as she drifted off into slumber.

Gabriel sat in his office chair as he felt her presence. Her breathing was heavy and uneven. He felt her heartbeat race. Concern clouded his better judgment, and he disappeared into her room as simple mist. He hung over her bed as he noticed she was indeed in distress, but an entirely different kind. Mercy was mumbling his name repeatedly as she touched her breasts. She was in full sleep, which meant she was dreaming of him. He felt blood rush to his cock at the thought of her deriving pleasure from dreaming of him.

Gabriel knew if he tried to connect with her mind, he would find it closed. He told himself to leave and let Mercy sleep. He wanted to watch her. He felt a tenfold fool for the feeling.

He floated down to just a few inches above her prone body.

“Please, Lord Halverson. I need…” She did not know what she needed.

Gabriel shook with desire as he watched her hands go to her thrusting breasts. Her nipples below her night rail were pert and pebbled. She gasped as her own hands kneaded the yielding flesh. He dared not move from his vantage point. She sighed as she found her pointed nipples, erect and excited. A deep moan came from her throat as she repeated his name yet again.

She bucked against her hands, wanting more. Her fingers went to her shift and trailed the cloth up her supple thigh and to her belly. She was exposed from the waist down. Gabriel saw her glistening and wet on her curls guarding her sweet cunt.

“Oh, Gabriel, please touch me, and make love to me.”

He strained his body to not give into the need his cock was demanding. He was transfixed by the woman pleasuring herself below him. She was clearly having an erotic dream about him. He was fascinated by the idea that this woman, who was a stranger, should want him with the fierce longing that he shared.

Her finger entered her wet pussy to find a relief to the pressure that was building within her body.

Gabriel could feel the tension, and he could smell her initial cum from his vantage point. He felt his canines lengthen and blood flow over his tongue.

He could see that her breasts were swollen with hard, erected nipples. He wanted to touch her clitoris. It was wicked, but he was beyond coherent thought. He wanted to make her feel as if she were in Heaven. He would massage her breasts with tender care. She would be aching for something she could not identify. Light fingers would touch her curls. She would also be uncomfortably wet.

Emma had yet to awaken. She was repeating his name. She was reaching for something, and if he placed his hand on her pussy, she would buck her hips in excitement, and be able to grab onto her orgasm. She would be tight and swollen, ready to receive his cock.

Gabriel watched her slender hand begin to pump within her snatch. She had invaded too far, and her body flinched. His lordship would bet a month’s income that this woman was an innocent virgin. Having such knowledge brought heat within his chest and a calling from his cock.

He watched as her hand retreated. He knew she needed something she could never describe. She wanted him.

“Gabriel, please!”

Mercy was screaming for completion. He wanted to sink his cock and his fangs into her silky-smooth body. Gabriel was hungry for sex and hungry for blood. He finally materialized at her side when her eyes opened slightly.

“Mercy, please let me feed from you.” He was desperate for her.

The need to feed was upon him, and he could no longer deny himself the sweet blood.

With a delirious smile, Mercy opened her arms to him.

“I am ravenous for you,” he said.

“Please take whatever you need from me.”

She sighed as he kissed the side of her neck.

Gabriel moaned as her sweetness swept over his tongue. She was as delicious as any chocolate pastry. He had never fed from such a delectable creature.

He was sucking the side of her neck, and it brought forth an incredible amount of pleasure. She actually shuddered and closed her eyes to the delight that he filled her with. Her cum burst forth from her pussy, wetting her night rail, and then she swooned in his arms.

He finished feeding and sealed the puncture marks with his tongue. He looked at his Mercy and saw that she was shaking in the aftermath of another orgasm, one so powerful that she had fainted. The vampire’s kiss had always brought pleasure to the recipient, if the giver wanted it so. With a vile curse he left the room. He hoped Mercy would recall their encounter as a dream, for he did not want for her to know his secret.

Gabriel materialized back into his room and cursed himself. He was a cad and a fiend. Gabriel was the monster everyone knew him to be. However, he could not deny the taste of her blood. She was intoxicating, and he knew within himself that he would not be able to stop. He needed her. Gabriel looked to the clock and saw it was midnight. He had exactly six hours until sunrise. It was going to be a long evening. His hunger was satisfied, however, his cock was still erect.

Days passed as the children worked toward catching up. Emma could have screamed at the resistance she found with Rose. James had no problem listening and taking direction, much to the mounting anger of his sister.

“James, why are you listening to her? We don’t want her here, remember?” she asked.

Emma waited for the little boy to reply. He was silent for but a moment when Emma took pity on him.

“Rose, perhaps your brother wants to learn. I am sure if you applied yourself you would also be eager to learn?”

“I don’t want to learn from you. I want my mummy and daddy to hire the governess,” she exclaimed.

Emma’s heart broke at the girl’s words. She was missing her parents.

“Please, Rose, come to me, and let us have a chat,” she asked.

The girl looked at her as if she was about to beat her into oblivion. Emma stretched her arms toward the child and waited. The girl sat in her lap, and Emma just held her. Sobs and tears began to wrack the tiny girl.

“Rose, my mother died years ago and my brother passed away almost a year ago. I have no one left in the world. And I must tell you that you are indeed lucky to have your uncle and your brother with you. I know that you miss your parents, but you must know that they are always with you in here,” Emma pointed toward her heart. “When they are with you in here, you are never alone. They are always looking down upon you and loving you.”

Rose turned her head and said, “Truly? How can I believe you?”

Emma internally sighed. She needed to speak with Lord Halverson.

Rose stood and ran from the room, taking James with her and knocking down a chair in the process.

Later that evening, Emma was nervous to speak with the earl. Not only was she upset over the episode with the children, but her dreams had become frequent and more sinful. She felt her body heat at the thought of her fantasies. She had never dreamt of being in anyone’s arms, much less a man who was a virtual stranger.

Gabriel entered the room and felt the tension. Mercy looked distressed, and he knew why. George told him of the episode during their lessons this day. He knew he was responsible for Rose’s lack of trust. Her parents were dead, and he was not about during the day to help them transition. In addition, he did not want to become close to the children. He lived past many friends and family. He did not want to fall in love only to lose them.

“I see you are nervous, Miss Goodwin. Tell me of your day.

Gathering up her strength, she said, “Rose and James are having a terrible time transitioning. There is only so much I can do. I think you need to be about to talk to them and help them during the daytime. I understand your time is restrictive and you are not around, however, they need family to help.”

Emma watched as his spine stiffened. She knew she was accusing him of not doing his duty by those children.

“I am not their blood relative. I was a friend to their parents. My daytime hours are mine and are used for work.” He spoke with a dark voice. “I hired you to handle and teach them. Was I in error? Do I need to find a new governess?”

Emma felt her spine stiffen in return. How dare he? He may not be their blood uncle, but he did have a duty to those children.

“I am sorry I spoke out of turn, my lord. However, they need you. It is my job to speak with you when the children are in distress. And I am telling you they are in need of you,” she retorted.

Her breasts were heaving with restrained anger. She knew it was not her place as governess. However, the noble woman came into her mind and wanted to be heard. This man may have eccentricities, but certain roles were taken when one was left with small children.

Emma knew he saw the spark of rebellion in her eyes and felt the room heat with passion and anger. He looked as if he wanted to take her over this table and make a sexual feast of her. As if he wanted to sink his cock into her hot, tight pussy, and show her he was her master. She could smell her preliminary cum in the air. She wanted him as he wanted her.

Her chest flushed at the look in his eyes. She could feel his heated stare through her dress. She felt exposed and vulnerable. As if she was lying in her bed and dreaming of his touch. Hours later, when she awoke in the morning, she could swear she felt his fingers on her clitoris. Which was mad of course, she could still smell her orgasm upon her own fingers.

“We will meet in my study to finish this discussion.” He stood and quit the room, expecting her to follow.

Emma gaped at his audacity. She knew she was hired help, but even her father did not talk to servants this way. Well, she supposed he didn’t. She had never seen her father interact with the staff. It was beneath him.

She stood and threw her napkin to her almost-full plate. She walked the length of the hallway and knocked upon the study door. Her walk gave her time to calm down and think rationally. It would not do to argue with his lordship. He may very well turn her out of the house that evening.

“Enter,” he simply said.

She opened the door and left it ajar. She still had her respectability to consider. She may be governess, but servants did have mouths, and word could possibly return to London, and that was a thought that sent shivers down her spine. Emma considered herself a strong woman. However, she needed to stay mindful of her situation.

“My lord, let me just express how sorry I am that I overstepped my boundaries…”

He held a hand into the air to stop her midstatement. “Apology noted, Miss Goodwin. You would do well to remember whose employ you are in.”

She once again felt her spine stiffen at the retort, but wisely kept her mouth closed.

“Indeed, my lord.”

“But you do not mean a word you say, do you, Miss Goodwin?”

Emma’s mouth opened up into an imitation of a fish. She wisely closed it and glared. This man was very perceptive.

“When I apologize, my lord, I usually mean what I say.”

“But?” he insisted.

“However, I do think you are not spending enough time with the children. Why can they not dine with you in the evenings? They can eat, and then after the meal you and I can talk about their progress,” she finished.

Gabriel looked to the woman in the room and saw that she was in earnest. She felt his presence in their lives would change their behavior. Perhaps it would, but he did not want attachments.