Vampire Legacy (Book 4 of the Dragon Heat series) (18 page)

He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Her delicious, unique scent invaded his nostrils, lodging itself deep into his very inmã, his soul.

Petran retrieved his hand and forced his feet backward, away from her, away from the temptation to touch her again. The back of his legs bumped into a chest, making it skid a few inches. It was a slight movement but enough for the sound to resonate in the room. Natalia batted her eyes awake, and Petran knew he had less than a second before she caught him inside her bedchamber. He focused and dissolved his body back into a cloud.

But it was too late.

“Petran?” he heard her ask in barely a whisper.

He was ready to ignore her call and pretend this had never happened. If she interviewed him the next evening, he would simply suggest it must have been a dream. He would even jest about it.

But her next words melted his resolve as easily as the wind blew a feather away.

“Please, Petran, don’t leave.”

Please, Petran, don’t leave.
How long had it been since someone had uttered such words to him, begging for his company?

“I shouldn’t be here,” he muttered as he let his body take shape once again.

“Are you all right?” she asked jumping out of the bed. Then she halted, as if someone had just shouted
stop
in her head. She pulled the sheet up, covering herself with it. “I mean, is your majesty uninjured?”

Petran frowned. What was with the sudden formalities? “Yes, I am. Are you?”

She nodded affirmatively. “Your majesty was the last to return from the field, a few of the ladies were worried.” She glanced at him then averted her eyes.

What was going on? Why was she addressing him so formally after what they had shared by the pond just hours ago?

“A lot of contestants got caught in the blaze. They were badly injured and couldn’t make it to the castle by themselves,” he explained vaguely, playing her game—for now. “And you, milady? Is your father well?” he asked, taking a step forward.

She took a step backward. “Yes. Thank you for asking, your majesty.”

Argh! That did it. He was tired and had wanted just to see if she was well. Now he knew physically she was, even if emotionally was a completely different matter.

“Natalia, what’s going on? What is the reason for silly formalities all of a sudden?”

Her chest lifted up and down, her hands clutched at the hems of the sheet covering her torso. She regarded him with haunted eyes, as if battling with herself, and he felt it as if it were his own. He realized her coldness was affecting him more than he had imagined possible.

He reached out and before she could refute him, he cupped her cheeks with his hands. “What is the matter? Please tell me what troubles you, my sweet.”

  She closed her eyes. “You have no idea how your words of endearment affect me,” she choked out, and then pulled away from his touch. “But you have a wife. And I know this is just a game for you.”

Petran was lost for words. What in Hiad? Then the wrinkle on his brow melted away as understanding sank in. “You spoke with Hillia.”

Natalia bit her lower lip. “We exchanged words, yes.”

“What words?” he asked coldly. Natalia opened her mouth but he lifted his palm up, silencing her.  “No, please, allow me. She told you I’ve had many lovers over the years and that I discard them just like I discard an old pair of jocks.”

“Something like that,” Natalia uttered as cold as winter in the mountains.

“Did she also care to share how we have barely exchanged words in the past decade? That she too has a lover in Paris whom she showers with gifts and other luxuries, by the means of my fortune?”

The coldness in her eyes melted into confusion.

“Of course she didn’t,” Petran muttered bitterly then exhaled a tired breath.

“No matter how disturbing a relationship you have with her, it does not change the fact that you are married, Petran. Period.”

“Every ruler in Europe has lovers,” he argued, running a hand along his hair. “Even your father, in his prime, was known for engaging with several mistresses at once.”

Her jaw dropped. “And that makes it all right to be unfaithful? Because everyone does it?”

No, it did not but he had nothing else to hang on to now. He pulled Natalia into his arms, hugging her tight, wanting to end their pointless argument. Of course, she was right. Keeping royal mistresses was a despicable habit but necessary when society forced you to tie your very long life to a stranger with whom you had nothing in common.

His heart warmed up when Natalia didn’t fight him but instead, rested her face on his chest. “Talia,” he said softly. “My marriage was nothing but an alliance of families. There is no lost love between Hillia and me.” He held her face between his hands, bringing her forehead to his. “Please, believe me.”

“I do,” she whispered. “But it matters not. Only sorrow can come from—”

Petran didn’t let her finish her awful thought, and before she could push him away for good, he sealed her lips in a scorching kiss.

He wanted to make her feel empty without him, just like he felt when away from her. He would never admit it aloud, of course. He would never tell her of his true feelings, but tonight he wanted to leave all troubles behind—the politics, the rebels, Kalaur’s machinations, Somenski’s disease, everything—and just be with her. His life had always been dictated by the rules of society, by conventions, by his duty to his country... It was never his, but not today. He would allow himself to follow his passion. He would forget he was the King of Vampires. He would leave the crown aside. For one day only, he would answer his heart’s call, and to Hiad with the consequences and witch’s prophecies.

“Petran…we shouldn’t,” she mumbled against his lips but despite her words, she kissed him back.

“Give me one night, Talia,” he whispered. “Tomorrow we’ll go our separate ways and carry on fighting the world. But tonight, I want you. I want you to be mine, only mine.”

She gaped at him, her large grey eyes wide with surprise but dilated with anticipation. “Yes.”

“Yes?” he echoed, lowering his lips to hers.

She nodded, biting on her lower lip again. “Tonight, I’m yours, tomorrow we’ll carry on fighting the world.”

With his heart drumming in his chest, he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her deeply. She returned his passion in kind, running her fingers up his skull, through his hair. It felt amazing with her warmth, and her soft skin, contrasting against his roughed up clothes, and cold body. At once, his balls grew heavy and his shaft stiffened. He grazed his hand down her back and pulled her hips closer, but there were too many layers between them.

Never letting go of her lips, he shrugged out of his heavy coat and formal jacket. The next to go was his waistcoat and shoes. Talia helped him unbutton his shirt, her hands trembling, struggling to capture the little buttons. He went for the lace fastening her nightgown closed. With only one thought in mind, he untied the delicate bow and let it fall. The light fabric bent sideways giving him a superb glimpse of her milky torso. Hungry to touch her, he ran his hands underneath the cotton and found plump breasts waiting for his taking.

Talia’s breath caught and her shoulders stiffened.

It was such a small, invisible gesture, but it had the same effect as a bucket of ice poured over his head.

She was panicking.

It was not new to him for he had seen it before. She was a virgin, for Hiad’s sake. The prospect of opening herself to him probably terrified her. Yes, she had verbally agreed to be his, but resolution melts down when reality kicks in.

“
This is her first night with a man, you Neanderthal!
” he chided himself internally.

Covering her trembling hands with his, he compelled her to stop. Mighty Soartas, she was panting. “We don’t have to do this, Talia. You don’t have to give yourself to me.”

Grey eyes gazed at him wide as a scared kitten. “I want to.”

“Maybe you’re not ready. Please don’t feel you have a debt to pay, that you must do it because you—”

She sealed his lips with her delicate hand. “I may be inexperienced, but I know what I want, Petran. And I want to be with you.”

He gazed into her stunning eyes, searching for an ounce of hesitation, but found none.

She lowered her head down, resuming her unfastening of his buttons. Once again, her trembling hands failed to do the deed. He understood that she had made up her mind, but her body was having trouble acknowledging the new command.

So, he would make sure she had time to digest it all—every single second of their coupling.

With this new mission in mind, he gently stilled her trembling hands with his. “We have all day long, my sweet,” he whispered, slowly kissing her neck and collarbone. “Please allow me take my time tasting you, exploring you, and pleasuring you. Do you want me?” he asked softly.

She nodded but her eyes were as wide as a pup’s, and she yelped when he brushed the back of his hand over one of her nipples. He would have to give her time to feel comfortable with him, the way she had by the pond earlier that night.

“Do you trust me?”

She nodded again.

“Then close your eyes,” he whispered.

She blinked a few times but complied. Not wasting any time, he removed his clothes using his supernatural speed to make it just one second, and then stood back up in front of her. “Now open your eyes again,” he order, trying to sound not too commanding. 

She did, and gasped at the sight of his cock sprung out, and fully erect. Her curious gaze roamed over him, drinking in every detail of his naked body. He had never done this before, never cared enough to give his lovers time to familiarize themselves with him. But somehow, Natalia was different and he wanted to show her he was ready to expose himself to her, as she would to him.

“Place your hand on my chest,” he commanded softly. He didn’t want her to feel pressured, so he forced his hands to remain at his sides. She followed his instructions with timid approach, but it was enough to make his cock throb. “Feel my skin, Talia, taste it with your fingers. I’m here, with you, for you.”

Her initial feather-like touch grew bolder. Her shy hands ran along his torso, up his shoulders, down the muscles on his stomach and paused at the edge of the curly hair at his navel. Her eyes fixed on the stiffness between his legs.

Petran waited, finding he was interestingly curious as to what she’d do next.

Never in his dreams would he have expected her next request.

Still staring at his ever-thumping shaft, she poked her tongue out, running it along her lower lip, before capturing the rosy doe between her teeth. She probably wasn’t aware of what she was doing, or how amazingly hot she looked like that, and how burning with need she was making him feel. Her gaze finally moved back up, where it met his in a silent request for permission.

She was asking permission to go lower.

Mighty Soartas.

He nodded, almost wishing she’d tied him up so to control the growing urge to shove her on the bed and thrust deep inside her tight core.

Her throat worked up and down as she swallowed dry, probably taking the courage to go ahead with her request. She slowly moved her hand from where it rested above his navel—the muscles on his stomach clenched immediately in response—then brushed her fingers alongside his upper and inner thigh—his knees turned into jelly—then she finally brushed her fingers around his scrotum and over the tip of his cock.

Petran’s hip shot forward as a mighty shudder ran through his entire body. A dark moan reverberated in his chest.

The sudden movement made her pause, and she gazed up at him again, without retrieving her hand from his member.

“Yes,” he choked out. “You do have that effect on me, my sweet.”

A small, proud smile lifted a corner of her pink mouth, as her gaze turned incredibly wicked. At that moment he knew with all certainty, he was in for some nail-biting torture.

Talia resumed stroking him, her curious-hungry gaze scrutinizing his every reaction, every muffled moan which escaped his lips. After playing with the tip of his cock for a while, she became more confident and moved on to his scrotum, timidly massaging his balls with her hands.

Petran suspected he was going to lose it at any moment now.

“Envelop your fingers around me, Talia,” he heard himself beg.

“Like this?” she asked, closing her fingers around the girth of his cock.

“Yes,” he strangled out, letting his head fall back. Oh, by the gates of Hiad, that felt so unbearably good!

Without the need for a command, she moved her fist back and forth from the tip all the way to the base. His hips moved in synch with her hand, his legs shook with the strain of his containment, but he held on tight.

Her tongue popped out again and she moistened her lips.

His eyes flashed red. “What do you want, Talia?” he growled low.

“I want to…”

“Yes?”

“I want to taste you…with my mouth.”

Oh dear Soartas.
“Then do it, my sweet.”