Vampire King of New York (18 page)

“Watch me.”

He kissed her with such heat Evelyn closed her eyes. She was tight in his embrace and accepted everything. His shaft pushed against her core, and she gasped, hiding her smile of pure joy in his shoulder. He thrust into her. With her back against the wall of the shower, he pushed and withdrew. She couldn’t really move, only be there to enjoy what he was doing. His every movement elicited a gasp or whimper. She nibbled his shoulder, his neck, his ear.

“Say something to me, Evelyn.”

“Max,” she panted. “What do you want me to say?”

“How do you feel?”

Half crazed out of her mind with lust as he pounded into her body, Evelyn took a breath. This was a trap. Every man wanted to know a woman’s feelings so he could use them against her, enslave her to his will.

“Max, I need you.” It was the safe thing to say and true. All the banter about sex and honeymooning in the dream had fired her need. She was afraid to admit more.

He drove into her faster. Evelyn felt faint. Everything swirled. She nuzzled his shoulder and then bit him. Her mouth filled with blood.

Max threw his head back, while Evelyn sucked on his shoulder. Her small human teeth were enough to only tease, still he liked her biting him. The complete joy that coursed through him was indescribable. She was like a wild animal, and he in return stilled to enjoy her abandon of restraint. Slowly he caressed every part of her, with his fingers enjoying the satin of her skin, its softness, its warmth. In focusing on their joining, he pushed his shaft deeper into her hot, wet sheath. When she tightened around him, he shivered, closing his eyes to relish the sensation. She drove him crazy with burning desire, coursing like molten lava. He took her, ravishing her body until she cried out his name and collapsed in his arms.

When Evelyn woke, she sat up in bed with a start. She turned. Max was sleeping. A bite mark was clearly on his shoulder. “Oh, no, what did I do?”

His eyes opened to gaze into hers. “You bit me. Now that’s a switch.”

Evelyn turned away with her face in her hands. “I’ve flipped out or something. I’m sorry.” Then she began checking herself.

“I didn’t bite you. I gave my word.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do it.”

Max took her into his arms. “Evelyn, it’s okay. I loved it. I won’t demand to bite you in return. I promise. It’s common among vampire lovers when they lose control during sex.”

“I should not have lost control.”

He kissed her on the cheek. “My beloved, it’s perfectly safe to lose control with me.”

Wiggling out of his arms, Evelyn got up.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ve got some shopping to do, and we’ve been in bed”—she looked at the clock—“until, oh, my, two in the afternoon.” She went over to her dresser and removed some clothes.

“Oh, well, I should probably go into the office.” He got up and dressed. “Do you want to go out tonight?”

Evelyn paused. Max had done everything right. She was the one who messed up and he was a gentleman. He was right even though she didn’t want to admit it. She had lost control, and he was her safety net. She went over to him and unbuttoned the shirt he’d just buttoned.

“What are you doing?”

She licked the area of the bite and watched it fade more. “I didn’t want to leave you wounded.”

He put his arms around her waist. “Thank you for your kindness. It would have faded with time, which is a shame.”

“Why?”

“It proves I belong to you.” He kissed her, his tongue pushing apart her lips and caressing the inside of her mouth.

Evelyn moaned.

He ended the kiss with a searing pressure on her lips. “My love, you have not answered me. Will you go out with me tonight?”

“Yes.” She lightly touched his cheek, her fingers lingered.

He held her hand there and closed his eyes. Then he let her go. “See you tonight.” Max walked out the door.

Evelyn sat on the edge of the bed for a long time before she finished dressing and went into the kitchen. She really wasn’t in the mood for much. She made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Getting some grape juice from the fridge, she sat down to eat.

Minutes later, Laura and David came into the kitchen, poured some cold blood into glasses and sat with her.

“So, Max left?”

“Yes.” Evelyn stared straight ahead.

“Have you resolved what you were fighting about?” Laura asked.

“Sort of.”

“It didn’t sound like you had a fight to me,” David said.

“What happened?” her sister asked, though Evelyn was very aware the Laura was picking up bits and pieces from her mind.

“I bit him.”

“What? You bit him?” David quickly put his hand over his mouth, looking like he would explode. “Excuse me.” He dashed out to the living room, shutting the door. Then he burst out laughing hysterically.

Laura eyed the closed door and frowned.

Evelyn dissolved into tears. “You don’t understand how bad this is.”

She put her hand over Evelyn’s. “Explain it to me. You bit him during …?”

“We were … we were making love and I bit him.”

Laura smiled. “That’s very normal.”

“I bit him on the shoulder and drank his blood.”

Her sister chuckled. “Okay, drinking his blood is not normal for humans, but very common between vampires. What did Max think about it?”

“He was very happy about it. He said that it showed he was my Max.”

Laura shook her head. “I don’t know what the problem is. If you’re making love to Max, he’s going to get the idea that you care about him. He’s here almost every night, Evelyn, sleeping with you. It looks to me that you two have formed a bond.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. I’m still not sure I should have a bond with Max.”

“But you made love with him?”

“I know I was wrong to do that.”

“Well, next time when he tries to start something, just tell him no.”

“I started it.”

Laura sat back, stunned. “Evie, are you being honest with yourself? I know your mind keeps coming up with excuses not to be in love with Max. But physically it appears you can’t keep your hands off him. When you were frightened at work, you went to his office. When Max goes off to battle savages, you’re worried about him. It’s beginning to look a lot like two lifemates who have found each other. Love is wonderful, Evie. Don’t turn Max down because of Jack. Your life with that jerk is behind you. Max treasures you. It’s evident in everything he does.”

David came back into the kitchen. He took his seat again at the table and sipped his blood. “What does Max think about you biting him?”

“He’s happy.”

“I just bet he is. Is the bite fading or permanent?”

“Fading. I didn’t know there was a way to make it permanent.”

“Oh, there is. Laura could teach you if you wanted. The ancient vampires used to mark their lifemates with one permanent bite. I have a bite on my thigh that Laura—”

“David,” Laura shouted.

“It’s the greatest thing alive to be marked by your lifemate,” he finished, with a smirk.

“Argh,” Evelyn said in dismay. She rushed out of the kitchen.

A shot rang out drawing their attention to the windows.

Chapter 13

“It was only a truck backfiring.” David eased Laura and Evelyn away from the windows. “It’s just the normal routine of the city.”

The door of the apartment flew open, and Max rushed in. “Away from the windows!”

They hit the deck. Max threw himself over Evelyn. “A savage was sighted in your neighborhood, so I hurried over here.”

David got up and checked the doors and windows, going back downstairs to check the front and rear entrances too. When he returned and relocked the apartment door, Laura was instantly at his side hugging him.

“I have teams outside now trying to capture him.”

Evelyn buried her head in his chest. “We’re not going out.”

“No. We will after he’s captured.” He moved into a sitting position with Evelyn in his lap.

Laura and David sat opposite him. “Do you want us to join the teams?”

“No. Top priority is keeping this location secure.”

Something was wrong. Vampires hiding on the floor? A swat team of vampires surrounding the house? It just didn’t fit.

“Why would a savage be here?” Evelyn asked.

Max’s face grew stern. “I think they are hunting you. By getting to my lifemate, they get to me.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Weren’t you in a great battle the other night? Noblesse got hurt.”

All eyes were on her.

He kissed her on the forehead. “I killed the master vampire, so it’s only a matter of rounding up his minions who don’t have a brain between them.”

“Laura was telling me once about savages. She said that an ancient could control them like puppets. If that’s the case and you killed the ancient, wouldn’t they all run for the hills or something?”

Max narrowed his eyes. “You’re right, darling. It doesn’t make sense that one would be around here trying to kill me when I’m protected by the Arnhem Knights.”

She shook her head. “I’m not an expert on this but it appears to me that you haven’t killed the master vampire, only an ancient that was expendable. Because they are still doing someone’s bidding.”

Max’s face grew dark with worry. David looked thoughtful. Laura kept her eyes riveted on her sister for what would come next. In their minds, a plan formed.

“I’m sick and tired of being the victim. I have a plan.” Evelyn rolled out of Max’s grip.

Laura broke free of David’s grasp. Taking her sister’s hand, they ran and with Laura pulling her, they were a blur. Their mates chased after them.

On the stairs, the sisters shouted, “Cordelais rule!” Then they burst through the door to the roof. The night had that scent of a storm on the verge. Rain was imminent. Laura didn’t need a storm to make lightning, but it couldn’t hurt.

They ran to the center of the roof with hands clasped together. Perched on the furnace chimney, the savage stared at them with its burning red eyes. Max and David burst through the roof door.

“Stay where you are,” Laura ordered the two lifemates.

“Pretty. Pretty,” the savage said, approaching the women.

Max made a move.

“Stay,” Evelyn commanded. “Let us Telkhines do our stuff.” He stilled in place.

Lightning pulsated around Laura. Evelyn felt the pulse go through her and punched the air with her free hand. Nothing.

The savage leapt at her.

“Now,” Evelyn yelled. Fisting her fingers, she punched the air again, throwing a fireball right into the savage.

It screamed and convulsed on the floor. Laura threw a few bolts into it, and it exploded into ashes. Then the sky opened up and the rain poured.

Evelyn clasped her sister’s hand and they swung around dancing in the rain like children. “Cordelais. Cordelais,” they chanted.

Max and David watched from the roof’s doorway then raced into the arms of their women. Laura and David became a ball of passion on the tar and gravel flooring.

Max kissed Evelyn. “You were fantastic, my love.”

“It’s all my sister’s power. I’m nothing without her.”

Holding her against him, he nuzzled her neck. “You are amazing even when solo. It was you that came up with the brilliant albeit dangerous idea. I am very proud of you.”

Evelyn sighed happily in his arms. “Well, I am a Cordelais.”

“And I want to know all about what that means.” He paused looking at the ashes washing away. David and Laura were finding their own paradise in the rain. “I made plans to go out. Do you still want to go?”

“Absolutely.” Evelyn loved the feel of him against her.

“Should we invite David and Laura?”

Evelyn giggled. “No, I think they’re too busy. Come on. I need to change.”

“May I help?”

When they got downstairs, Evelyn went into the bathroom and Max followed.

“Okay, hot stuff, not now,” she said gently pressing on his chest and walking him backward into the bedroom.

Max only laughed when she closed the door. Emerging a few minutes later in her bathrobe, she further ushered him out of her room to dress in private.

“But Evelyn we’ve seen each other …”

“I don’t care. You wait out there.” She shut the door.

Max took a seat on the sofa and played with the TV remote control. The newscaster said a woman was found dead in Central Park. Police gave the cause of death as an animal attack and the public was being cautioned. A phone number flashed on the screen for anyone with information.

The living room door opened. Cassandra and Hatcher joined Max on the sofa.

“That’s what the humans are calling it,” Cassandra said.

“What is it really?” Max asked, awaiting their report.

“It’s another savage. Four teams have taken position around the lake. They’re determined to catch it before sunrise,” Hatcher said.

Evelyn came into the room dressed in a frilly silk dress of pale blue.

“You look lovely, my dearest.” He held out his hand to her. The other vampires moved to chairs, while she sat next to Max.

Evelyn could tell when things were grim, first by Max’s expression, but also by the waves of doubt and confusion that flowed over her from him.

“Okay, what’s wrong?”

“A savage in Central Park.”

“Another one? Besides the one I toasted on the roof?”

“You toasted one on the roof? Excellent,” Cassandra said.

Max smiled and pulled Evelyn in for a kiss.

“Are we still going out? It’s okay if you have to leave.” Evelyn resigned herself to the fact that her relationship with Max had to have a lot of give in it. At least she knew with him, when he said he was working late, he really was. His hand on her knee was a good indication that he was completely thinking of her.

“No, we’re going out. I trust the knights to get the job done.” He stood and went to the closet. Taking her coat out, he held it up for her. “You’re going to need this. It’s a bit breezy where we’re going.”

He helped her on with her coat and they left taking the stairs to the roof once more. When they opened the door, the rain had ended, the ashes washed away, and Laura and David were gone.