Turned (25 page)

He closed his eyes, trying to block her out along with his spiraling need. “Ana, please listen to me. I’m on the verge of losing control. We’ll talk tomorrow. Just leave. Now.” He snapped the last word as his control began to shred. But he had to breathe, and when he did, a new, deliciously female scent aroused him even more …

He groaned when he realized she was wet for him.

He could smell it on her, and he wanted to taste those juices. Take them down his throat. Bathe himself in them until the day he died. “Go. Go.” His voice was almost unrecognizable now. Inhuman.

Fuck, it even scared him.

She didn’t leave. Instead, in a voice that was barely there, soft and a little shaky, she said the one thing guaranteed to snap his control in half.

“No.”

As Ana pushed the bathroom door open all the way, she saw Ty do the same to the shower door. She stopped cold for a breathless moment when he stepped out of the shower, wet and huge and marvelously naked except for the peculiar gold medallion he wore. She was rooted to the floor as he stalked toward her, his expression as dark and dangerous as she’d ever seen it.

Holy fuck, she thought, as her gaze swept over him. He was incredible. He was exactly as she’d envisioned in her dreams, right down to the birthmark on his left hip. She stared at the mark, which she’d already stroked and tasted in her mind, and instinctively reached out to touch it now. Knowing that her dream might have been prophetic made her shake. Ana instinctively lifted her hand to ward him off. “Wait—”

But then he was on her.

Chest heaving, he pressed his large body against hers, grasped her chin, and brought her gaze up to his. Though he didn’t hurt her, his touch was far from gentle. Ana gasped, not with fear, but with anticipation.

He looked ready to eat her alive and lick the plate clean afterward.

“I told you to leave. I gave you a chance. Why didn’t you listen?”

His gaze was focused on her mouth. The fingers gripping her chin loosened to stroke her jaw and the scar he’d touched only once before.

This time, she didn’t flinch from his touch. She arched into it, more than ready. She’d known perfectly well that entering his room would make this happen.

Fascinated, she watched his fangs grow even longer. They were sharp. Deadly. Capable of ripping out a man’s throat—she’d witnessed it happening.

She fought against the sensual languor of her betraying body, feeling as if he had entranced her. Yet she wasn’t scared. All she could think about was the intense pleasure his fangs had brought her before, in her dreams, when he’d plunged them into her soft flesh and drunk from her.

She craved that intensity. Felt the first stirrings of love—and respect—for him. He was willing to kill for her. He thought she was beautiful, despite—or maybe because of—the hidden scars she bore. And he cared enough about her to tell her to go, even though he looked as if he’d starve to death without her.

Ana didn’t care if he was a vampire or not.

She wanted Ty.

Ty didn’t consciously try to read her mind, but he could hear her thoughts now. She was convinced she wanted him. He refused to allow himself to believe it.

His brain ordered his fingers to let go of her and told him to step away but his body wouldn’t obey. If he lost contact with her skin, he would shrivel up and die.

The abyss in his mind had vanished when she’d come to him.

The darkness was still there … yet he could fight back. He didn’t have to die. He wanted to fully live during whatever time he had left on earth and—

She swallowed hard, and his gaze followed the graceful, undulating movement of her throat.

And then he snapped.

He didn’t pounce on her. He didn’t shove his fangs into her the way he longed to. But he knew in that moment there was no hope of her leaving. He would take her first. He had to.

“I warned you,” was all he said before he picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the bathroom and to the bed. There, he laid her down and covered her body with his.

“God, I’ve dreamed of this. I’ve dreamed of loving you, princess.”

At Ty’s words, Ana’s eyes widened. “Wh—what did you say?”

“I said I dreamed about you. Does that surprise you?”

“N-no. I just—” As she stuttered and flushed, his eyes narrowed.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, savoring the smell of her ever-blossoming desire. “You’ve dreamed of me as well,” he said. “You’ve dreamed of us. Well, it wasn’t just a dream, Ana. I didn’t know it at the time. I didn’t mean to do it, I swear. But I was really there. In your dreams. In your body. I didn’t force—”

She shook her head. “Of course you didn’t. I—I wanted it. Wanted you. But those were dreams. Ty … what you’re saying. It’s impossible.”

His gaze dropped to the hand that cupped her breast. Gently, he smoothed his thumb across her nipple, making her gasp and arch into his touch. “As impossible as vampires?”

“I don’t know,” she gasped.

“Never underestimate the power of desire. In my mind, you saw me the way I was before I was turned. You saw me when I was fully human.” He lifted his gaze
to hers. “When you saw us together, what color eyes did I have?”

“B—blue.”

“That’s right. Blue. Now, what else do you know about me? Do you know how I kiss when I let myself go? How I feel and how I touch? How I loved sucking your breasts and licking you between your thighs?” As he spoke, he moved his hand to that very spot and rubbed at the tiny pearl hidden there.

She hissed and thrust her hips upward with a moan.

He laughed darkly, loving how the sound made her shiver. “Yes. You’re going to come. Just like before. Isn’t that right, Ana? You touched yourself in your bedroom and called out my name.”

“How—?”

“I was watching you.”

Her reply was faint. “I thought so.”

“I enjoyed the fact you called my name when you got off. Have you ever orgasmed with a man?”

Her silence was a loud admission.

“Do you know how fucking sexy that is? That just by thinking about me, I gave you something no one else has.”

“Don’t be so proud of yourself,” she said, even as she raised her hands and stroked his hair. Her touch was gentle, yet firm enough to tell him this was real. “I never really wanted the others.”

“Which is why you slept with them in the first place. So you could stay in control. And now,” he murmured, “you’re going to lose it. I want to make you come again. And again.”

“Ty …”

He stroked her hair, meeting her heavy-lidded gaze. “I’m not going anywhere. And neither are you. Say yes, Ana. But only because you want me.”

She stared, brow furrowed, expression somber.

Fearing her rejection, Ty suddenly closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck. Ana smelled heavenly. Her neck was creamy and soft, open and vulnerable. His fangs automatically began to lengthen as he reached out for her—

She stiffened slightly then buried her hands in his hair. When she spoke, he felt the word throughout his entire body.

“Yes.”

CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR

Ty stiffened, wondering if he’d imagined the word, spoken
in Ana’s strong, husky voice. Raising his head, he stared into her eyes, seeing no hint of indecision.

She looked certain. Aroused. And the joy that spread through his body was beyond anything he’d ever experienced. Even his dream orgasm while he’d been watching Ana masturbate paled in comparison. Because this was real. She was real.

She wanted
him
.

“Oh, Ana,” he said shakily, lowering his head to kiss her.

She shook her head. “Wait. I—I have one condition.”

Unease caused him to frown and lift himself up, not entirely away from her.

“Your eyes,” she said. “You wear contacts.”

He nodded warily, thrown by the unexpected topic.

“Take them off.”

He immediately recoiled, shoving himself off her and backing away. “No.”

She pushed herself up on her elbows, still fully clothed while he was naked. She’d already seen him for what he was. Why did she want to see more?

“I want to see you, Ty. All of you. Nothing you show me will detract from how much I want you. God, after tonight, don’t you know that?”

It made sense. She’d seen him at his worst. What did
it matter if she saw his weirdly colored eyes? Only there’d be no hiding from her then. Eyes were said to be the windows to the soul. If he uncovered his eyes, if she stared into them, what would she see?

She balanced on her knees and inched her way toward him, her hand held out. “Shh,” she said, and he realized he’d been making a soft moaning sound. Wordlessly pleading with her, like a child not wanting to take his medicine. “It’s okay. I’m sorry. Just come to me. Come to me, Ty. I want you.”

He hesitated at first, wondering if this was a trap. But then relief flooded through him and he took her in, his beautiful Ana, finally asking for something she wanted. Something he could actually give her, if not easily, then at least without guilt.

“I’ll take the contacts off,” he said, and she froze, her eyes widening before she smiled. “But then you have to do something for me. Look into my eyes as they are, and if you still want me after that …”

“What?” she prompted when he hesitated.

“If you still want me after that, take off your clothes. All of them.”

“Deal,” she said quickly. So quickly he actually smiled.

With a curse, he turned and stalked to the bathroom, gripping the basin with white knuckles. He stared at his reflection, then took a deep breath. First, he took off the gold medallion he’d worn since Lesander had given it to him; nothing could come between him and Ana now. Then, with one last hint of hesitation, he took off his contacts. As soon as he could see his eerie silver pupils contrasted against the pools of his pitch-black irises, he winced. He looked like the freak he was. Alien. Monstrous.

He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t let her see him like this. She thought it wouldn’t matter but it would, and once she flinched from him, he’d be—

“Ty.”

At the sound of Ana’s soft voice, Ty’s head turned instantly toward the door.

He gasped, forgetting all thoughts about his eye color or what he was going to do or not do.

She was naked, her scars visible and her copper nipples soft and pouty in direct contrast to her mouth, which was pinched tight with what was obviously insecurity. She’d pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail and he wondered why …

Then it struck him. She was making herself completely vulnerable, even to the point of exposing her facial scar. Exposing every hurt she’d ever suffered—and had hid behind her clothes and hair and hostility.

She was doing that for him.

“Ana,” he whispered and started toward her. But as he moved to take her in his arms, she held him back again and said, “I want to see. Let me see.”

He tensed and a frustrated growl rumbled in his throat, but he forced himself to stop. Under the harsh bathroom light, she tilted her head as she studied his eyes. Then she scanned down his body, taking in
all
of him, including his dick. She stared as it hardened and lengthened, eventually poking her in the stomach, steel hard to her silky soft. But she didn’t back away.

She lifted her gaze back to his even as she wrapped her fingers around him and started a gentle pumping motion.

He kept his arms by his sides but tipped his head back, closed his eyes, and groaned. Her touch was delicate and warm, when he’d been cold for so long. She comforted him and ratcheted him up at the same time, and it was such a mind-boggling combination that he almost thought he was dreaming again.

Then he knew he was—
he had to be
—when his cock was enveloped in a tight, wet heat.

Holy fuck, he thought, his eyes flying open and his hands automatically reaching out to tangle in her ponytail.

She’d knelt in front of him and had him in her mouth. She didn’t start off soft or hesitant. She started sucking him off, using her lips and tongue and fingers to drive him absolutely crazy.

His ears were ringing. His blood pumping. His senses went into overdrive, so that even as she was on her knees and touching only one part of him, she surrounded him. She was inside him. Her scent was in his lungs, her taste not just on his tongue but coating his throat, her touch
everywhere
. On his cock, but also in the tiniest, most innocuous place. His toes. His ears. And yes, his eyes. The silver pupils that he hated became something bearable because she was there.

No, he thought, and ripped himself away from her.

She gasped and he could see from the expression on her face she thought he was rejecting her.

It wasn’t that at all.

He just couldn’t stand the idea of her being on her knees in front of him.

She was good. Strong and worthy. He?

Ty dropped to his knees in front of her and cupped her face in his hands.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something profound and beautiful. Something resembling a sonnet or a love song. Instead, all that came out was, “Need you. Now.”

Her relief was obvious. She stood and held out her hand. When he took it, she guided him out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom. Yes, he thought. This is perfect. This is what I want. I need to know she’s with me every step of the way. That she wants this, without any fear.

But yet it wasn’t right. Because her focus was on him,
and convincing him she wasn’t afraid. She desired him, yes, but she wasn’t dripping with desire. She wasn’t nearly as crazy to have him as he was to have her.

And that was going to change.

As soon as they were both naked on that bed, where she was leading him, he was taking over.

He was taking her.

Ana wasn’t stupid.

She knew what was coming, and she’d braced herself for it.

Ty wasn’t naturally submissive. He wasn’t one to be led. He was allowing it now because he needed to be sure this was what she wanted. And that she wasn’t scared.

But as soon as he was convinced of both those things, he was going to take her. She’d heard his intent in those three words he’d spoken to her while he was on his knees, his voice rough and masculine and intense despite his supplicant position. His body was shaking under the strain of holding himself back. It was obvious in those eyes—those strangely mesmerizing eyes. Pools of liquid silver.