With concern in his eyes, he stopped b.a.l.l.s deep at my command. "Calm down," he whispered, cradling me in his warm, soothing arms.

I clenched my eyes shut. My entire body trembled in a violent mix of pain and pleasure.

"It'll go away." Dante threaded his fingers through my hair. "Look at me."

When I opened my eyes, he came into view through a teary haze. There was nothing but his soft, beautiful face and his solemn gaze. I drank in his perfect features and finally found myself able to breathe again.

Dante slowly began to move his hips, rocking in and out. The pressure had dulled but the fire was still there, riding up through my thighs and my back. My stomach ached, but I wanted more.

"Dante..." His name escaped unbidden from my lips.

He sat up and gripped my thigh, swinging my leg over his shoulder. The lamp above highlighted the beads of sweat running down his taut chest, and I loved the fact that he was pushing himself so much to get me off.

A heavy aroma of raw pa.s.sion lingered in the room. The air was so f.u.c.king hot. His c.o.c.k slid over my prostate and I almost melted.

"f.u.c.k. Yes." My voice was a pitch higher, and Dante smiled wickedly.*

16.

The heat swelling through my body almost hurt. With every thrust I gripped the mattress harder, my fingers numb. I wanted nothing more than for this to last, but for some reason I also wanted to please him.

"That's it. Let your spirit flow," he whispered.

Dante was b.a.l.l.s deep again when his c.o.c.k swelled. I held my breath at the sensation, then moaned one final rush of words as my climax spilled over my stomach.

"That'a boy," he whispered, leaning into me and nipping at my lower lip.

My heartbeat settled and I unhooked my fingers from the mattress and wrapped my arms around Dante's back, pulling him close. I puckered my lips and brushed them against his. The warmth around us still had me sweating, but it was d.a.m.n good and nothing like I had experienced before.

There was a pulse, a moan through his closed lips, and I felt his c.u.m fill me.

His breathing was heavy as he rested his head on my chest. I was running my fingers through his hair when something hit me. What the h.e.l.l had I just got myself into?*

17.

Chapter Two.

Moving Shadows Darkness greeted me when I opened my eyes the next night. A sense of loneliness followed. I blinked in disbelief. Dante was gone.

Good riddance, I thought, trying to convince myself.

Shortly before the morning light, I'd stumbled to the window and lodged a piece of cardboard within the cracks, shielding us from the oncoming sun. When I'd found my way back to bed, Dante had pushed me down on the mattress and taken me again.

Now that I was alone, I threw off the covers and wandered towards the window. The moonlight was a welcome relief when I pulled the cardboard out of the window seal. My muscles ached from last night's romp, and my a.s.s burned something evil. And d.a.m.n, did I have to p.i.s.s.

After throwing on the same T-shirt and jeans I'd worn last night, I made my way to the bathroom. Dante wasn't there, either.

I caught a look of myself in the mirror above the sink. d.a.m.n, I looked horrible. At least it had been worth it. I didn't care about what Dante had taught me of my grandmother or of myself. What I cared about was him-his unused sophistication. The reasons why he'd come for me, a drifter. I wanted more of his wanton touch, sultry lips and his husky scent that drifted off my body. I needed a shower.

Twenty minutes later, I meandered back into the bedroom, fully dressed, with a damp towel wrapped around my shoulders.

"Good evening." Dante's voice instantly had me in a frenzy.

I turned. My heart thumped into my throat. There he sat, casually relaxing on the bed with his legs crossed in front of him. d.a.m.n, he looked...enticing. The flush built through my cheeks when he casually swept his thumb across his lips and the light scent of blood carried through the air. My stomach churned.

"What are you doing here?" I groaned, fighting my hunger-the need to jump on him, to taste him.

"I just went to grab a bite. I told you I would be back," he said coolly.*

18.

"You didn't say anything like that." I unwrapped the damp towel from my head and threw it in the corner. Cool water dripped from the tips of wet hair onto my back, making me shiver.

"Sure I did, Malachi. You don't remember? I said, 'I'll be right back so don't go anywhere'." That unforgettable sly grin spread across his lips.

But I couldn't remember him telling me anything.

"I guess it would have helped if you weren't out cold when I told you," Dante said.

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d." I stomped on the floor. "Stop playing around. Didn't I make myself clear that you were not going to stay?"

Dante slid off the bed and advanced towards me. "Oh, you made something very clear last night, but it wasn't that, Malachi."

I attempted to move away but found myself pressed against the wall with his leg thrust between mine, keeping me there. Dante curled his fingers through my wet hair then gave a slight tug. My knees weakened, stomach tightened at his touch, and I tried to fight getting hard all over again.

"I love your hair. Short and soft," he whispered, his breath warm on my cheek and reeking of blood. "And the vein that pops out of your neck when you're fl.u.s.tered."

I pushed down the urge to press my lips to his. "Not again."

He lifted his head. "Why not? With me around you'll never have to go on those dreadful hunts alone, nor sleep with those rats again. We could be a couple, you and I."

"A happy family," I muttered.

"Exactly."

I shoved him away and stepped around him. "Never, Dante. Now get the f.u.c.k out of here."

"But don't you wish to hear more? I can tell you everything about your grandmother.

Or if that doesn't catch your fancy, I'll tell you all about the old days." He sat on the bed and folded his arms on his lap. "Besides, I know you find me attractive."

Well, I really didn't care who-or what-my grandmother was. However, I had a burning need to know about the past. Or, more interestingly, my past and what he knew about me, if anything.

"Fine. Start by how you know me."*

19.

Dante groaned loudly. He rolled his eyes and leant back on the palm of his hands. "I know nothing that you don't already know. Except"-he straightened his spine-"details of the night of your death."

"What details? I died and was reanimated. What else should I know?"

"It didn't quite work that way, young Malachi. I-" He paused and turned towards the window. The sudden silence made me curious. "They're here."

"Who's here?"

Dante stood and grabbed my arm. He was trembling, and I felt his heart thumping through the palm of his hand. Whatever had caused the distraction had his wide eyes burning red.

"We need to leave." He tugged on my arm. "Now!"

I didn't struggle. Instead, I allowed him to drag me out of the door despite not knowing a d.a.m.n thing about him, not even if I could trust him. He knew something about me. That was enough to let him control me, just for the moment.

Out in the hallway, I heard the ding of the elevator. The lights lit up above it. Dante stood on guard, examining the wall of boarded up doors. "Where are the stairs?"

I dashed to the wall and kicked at one of the doors once, then twice. The wood shattered, revealing a darkened entrance. We peered down a rickety staircase, too broken to hold even the weight of a small child.

"There's no way." I shuddered as I spoke.

Dante stepped on a tarnished board and it cracked under the pressure. "Of course there is. Jump."

"What?"

"Are you chicken s.h.i.t? I said jump, d.a.m.n it!" He leapt and I stared down into the barely lit stairwell. His shadow appeared at the bottom.

Of course. Why was I worried?

"Stop him!" a commanding voice called from the hallway.

I closed my eyes and jumped. The cold air swept against my skin as I fell to the bottom, and before my feet touched the floor, it was as if the wind had lifted me up and carried me away. Am I flying?*

20.

When I opened my eyes, the sky was moving swiftly above me. I felt the warmth of life and glanced at Dante. With determination on his face, he darted out into the darkness. I writhed in his arms, slightly ashamed that he had caught me on the way down. "Let me go."

"Sorry. I just need to make sure we are-"

"Now." My legs quaked when I touched the ground and I stumbled, falling straight into a heap of dried corn husks. "s.h.i.t!" Far from my city, into the fields, a thirty minute drive away and it had felt like seconds.

Dante knelt with his hand out. "You're a f.u.c.king wreck. You know that, right?"

I grabbed on tight, letting him help me to my knees. "Well, excuse me. I haven't had a chance to develop my abilities." I wiped the specks of corn from the palms of my hands.

"When I tell you to jump, land on your feet like a cat." He chuckled. "It's that simple."

"Tell me who those guys were!"

Dante breathed and stretched out on the ground. Even though I was mad at him, he was still delectable. His body was taut, his arms propped underneath him as he gazed at our surroundings.

I sat next to him, regretfully setting my sights on the dark midnight sky instead. The stars sparkled brightest out here away from the city. It had been years since I'd seen the constellations or even the moon so radiant. In the city, the only bright lights were streetlamps.

"It's too soon, Malachi," he sighed.

"What do you mean? I just want to know who those men were," I said, crunching a dead corn stalk in my palm.

"We should wait. You can barely protect yourself as it is."

"Bulls.h.i.t!"

"Shh, would you keep it down. They'll be looking for us, you know."

I scowled, but quieted my boiling temper. "Just tell me what I want to know. I can protect myself just fine. I've done it for eight years."

Dante hesitated. The sound of crickets invaded.

His silence sparked a flaming anger in me. My face grew hot. Part of me wanted to punch him and take off running. To h.e.l.l with his knowledge, his seducing lips and wanton touch. I didn't need anyone, right?*

21.

He stared at the ground, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Raphael Cromwell. Member of the Dark Order of Vampirs. He's the most powerful clan leader in the region."