The j.a.panese calligraphy was embossed in gold on the thin band.

"It says it will cut through small and large bone. This will kill."

"You're no ordinary man with a dangerous streak," she said.

"I'm not."

"Are you trying to scare me?"

He forced her to push the blade back in its scabbard. "Now why would I do that?"

His voice had the right amount of sarcasm to it-just enough to make her think twice-like he was testing her or something. "You have these large weapons. I'm sure there's more."

He took it out of her hands and placed it back on the stand on the top.

He arched his brow. "You want me to tell you what is in my freezer?"

Yes. No. She was nuts for even staying there. "Are you some high powered hit man? After you're done with me you'll switch to hit man mode then chop me up?"

"That's a serial killer and I love women."

"Just a rich guy with a danger fetish?"

He shrugged as if trying on the label for size. "If you like."

He placed his hands on her waist and pulled her to him, her back to his front. The sound of her dress zipper coming down made her suck in her breath. Then his hands caressed the sides of her torso pulling her black, wool dress down to her waist. Ilida closed her eyes against the sensation of his body against her back and the cool yet warmth of his hands on her skin. The dress fell in a puddle around her feet. He was going to strip her while he was still clothed. Did she really care now? No, she didn't for once.

He stood in front of her now, watching her. His violet eyes raked over her form. He then smiled, making her feel hot and beautiful.

"Are you going to take off your clothes?"

"Is this a contest of who takes what off first, Ilida?"

With cold seductiveness, he said her name. His tongue a mixture of accented Greek and urban American. She promptly shivered remembering her weakness for deep-accented voices.

"You don't like standing half naked in front of a man."

"I'd feel more comfortable if you were half naked or naked, too, that's all."

"Will you give yourself to me for one night?"

She should split now. Leave before he breaks her heart, but she knew she would stay right where she was with him studying her face. "Yes."

"And I can do whatever I want to you?"

She swallowed hard. "Whatever means...?"

"I won't hurt you."

He walked behind her making her talk over her shoulder to him. "And I should trust you?"

One hand slid over her hips to her front as he stepped in front of her. She always disliked her more-than-generous hips. She had reason to celebrate them now. His hand rested on the silk covering her mound. She sucked in a quick breath when his fingers found her moist c.l.i.t. Wetness soaked through her pantyhose and slip. The other hand traced the fullness of her lips.

"If you don't, then I will take you home. No bad feelings."

"You can do whatever you want to me," she said as she drowned in this new sensuality.

"If I get rough say stop, and I will," he said between kisses.

"I thought you weren't going to hurt me?"

He stood up. His gaze was steady. His face still as stone, but behind his expressionless facade was a wounded soul. She was confident in that a.n.a.lysis. She could read his face well.

"Pain," he unhooked her bra, moved the straps down her arms, and let it fall to the floor, "is relative."

His hands cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, measuring their fullness. He bent his head seizing one nipple in his mouth while he manipulated the other between his fingers.

Then he lifted his head releasing her. The moisture on her nipple drying made it tingle. It peaked.

"One more thing," he said as he held her b.r.e.a.s.t.s in both hands ma.s.saging her peaks with his thumbs. "Don't touch my back."

Ilida's womb convulsed. Her hip muscles contracted. He waited, a warning in his eyes, for the question on the tip of her tongue. "I won't touch your back."

What was on his back that he couldn't show? Was that what made him so predatory, angry even feral? Stark desire showed in his eyes. "And I won't ask why."

"Good," he said satisfied, as he circled her b.u.t.t cheeks with his index fingers. She clenched her muscles involuntarily against the delicious swirls of the silk fabric rubbing her. Cool air brushed her skin as the pantyhose came down. She moved her legs back and forth letting them fall to the floor.

He lowered her to the cubed couch then seized her mouth in a hard kiss. His hand held her head prisoner for his kiss. Lips, smooth and insistent crushed hers. It was punishing, however they carried their own brand of magic. Heat spread from the point of contact to her scalp. Her womb contracted. She found herself raising her hips towards him, rubbing his bulge.

She wanted to feel him, touch him. She wanted to leave her mark, let him know that she gave as good as he. Boldly, she unb.u.t.toned the top b.u.t.tons of his black shirt. She pulled his shirt out of his tailored pants and unbuckled his belt.

He shrugged out of his shirt, revealing a broad muscular chest. His skin was a lighter olive tone than his face. A stylized bat tattoo covered his left deltoid. It made him more dangerous, mysterious. Together they tugged his pants past his hips. His hard muscular hips involuntarily flexed in her hands. A memory she would savor forever.

His erection sprang free, nudged her above her belly b.u.t.ton. No underwear. Going commando. The hooded part of him was dark purple. His shaft, covered in raised veins, was thick.

He smiled ferociously as he caressed her neck with one finger. With her eyes, she drank in his chiseled form. Her fingers itched to touch him.

"You feel good," she moaned.

Lightly she traced the contours of his lips, the smoothness of the rise on his upper lip. He threw his head back, moaned.

She reached up, lightly caressed his hard pectorals. His nipples hardened to nubs beneath the pads of her fingers. His breathing was hard and his eyes showed pure hunger. Good. She wanted to seduce as much as be seduced. Emboldened by his response, she stood on her toes and licked one nipple. She caressed the hard b.u.mps of his muscles, felt the veins that ran to his curly hairs. A beautiful athletic body under her finger tips.

She didn't want to stop touching him. Hesitantly, her forefingers traced his abs. He closed his eyes moaning giving himself up to her touch. Elated she had s.e.xual power over him she continued. She kissed her way down to his belly b.u.t.ton. Before she could go any further, she found herself on her back.

Cool air chilled her skin then she felt his long lean warmth on her side. One arm possessively held her to him. Tiny hairs on his arm brushed the underside of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He continued to kiss her. His tongue pushed through her swollen lips.

She jerked as his teeth nicked her lower lip. She pulled away or tried. He held her to him as if she would try to get away. Suddenly he let go of her lips.

"Blood," he murmured. He stared at her lips. l.u.s.t made his eyes a royal blue.

His face blocked out her view of everything around her. He seized her lower lip, sucking and laving it with his tongue. All thought left her. This was insane. She reprimanded herself for not pushing him away. What good would that do? Daedalus caught her in his web. He needed her if only for one night. She wanted him as much.

His tongue claimed the cavern of her mouth. It searched the corners, making sweeping, swirling motions. His kiss was hypnotic.

Alarm set in as his hand cupped her mound. His touch electrified her. Her breath came in quick and shallow as he teased her nipple, caressed and teased her folds. She pulled in a lungful of air as his hot mouth encircled her breast again. His teeth tugged, nipped without breaking her skin. He administered the same care to her other nipple. Without realizing it, she pulled him closer to her.

Ilida threaded her hands through his short, straight hair. Another moan escaped his lips. She felt that tingle in her brain she'd become accustomed to, and his mind opened to hers. He wanted to hold back on doing something.

He traced a moist path down to her mound of tight curls.

She gasped as she felt his hot breath on her c.l.i.toris. Out of nowhere, her body tightened. She cried out in sweet death as the tidal wave of o.r.g.a.s.m hit her. All he did was breath on her.

She lay there weak, trembling from need. He loomed over her. His p.e.n.i.s stood proud and stiff, pointing towards her center. Moisture leaked from the purplish tip. His eyes glowed red then blue and red again.

She could do nothing but lie there and watch him. Her body still ached, wanted. Wanted him. She was tight with it. Then she felt his hands spread her thighs open. His hand stroked against her throbbing c.l.i.toris; cupping her mound, flicking her. Reflexively her thighs closed around his hand. She grabbed his wrist, closed her legs around his hand, hoping to pull his hands away, hoping to keep them there.

Ruthlessly, he forced them open again. His fingers worked between her legs. She reacted. Her hips moved against him. She cried out. Her need was unbearable. All the while, his p.e.n.i.s touched her knee, her thigh, leaving droplets of thick fluid in its wake. A reminder of how large he was. He tore another o.r.g.a.s.m from her.

Finally, he lowered himself to her. Her thighs parted to give him access, her thoughts cloudy. His head prodded her entrance. Her juices flowed freely. She stiffened realizing this was it.

"I need more."

He pulled the tip out. Ilida wanted to protest his retreat. Did she do something wrong? Hs eyes bore down into hers as if he was weighing a question in his mind.

A cloth came out of nowhere. He wiped the head off. "Lay on your stomach."

"On... my stomach?"

"Will you give yourself to me?" His hands ma.s.saged her inner thighs skimming her c.l.i.t, brushing her hairs.

This was going to get impersonal for her. This was for him so he could feel. She wanted to feel, too.

"Remember, if I hurt you say no."

She answered him by turning onto her stomach. She raised her hips offering herself to him. She angled slightly facing him. Men got off easily and quickly from entering in the back. Five minutes and he would take her home. She didn't want a quickie where he only got off and she would be left wanting.

He whispered, "Give yourself to me."

The air around them heated up. Her hands bunched the throw pillow she rested her head on. She tensed as his hands probed her, pushing her cheeks a part. He gently rubbed cool liquid between her hips. It warmed. Lubricant? "Have you ever been touched here before?"

"No." It was true. She hadn't allowed it. She wasn't inspired to do it with her last boyfriend. She was severely inspired now.

His long hands gripped her thighs. He fingered her tight hole, r.i.m.m.i.n.g it while he kissed one hip then the other as if he had all night. His other hand lightly rubbed her c.l.i.t. She was wet and painfully ached for him to put his fingers inside her.

He heard her thoughts.

One finger slid past her nether lips into her entrance. Her inner walls gripped his finger. She reared back as moisture trickled through her hairs. Inside her, he felt long, tapered. Good. He played with her special spot. Very good. He stretched her between her legs while he stretched her from behind.

Her muscles clasped around him, shocking her. It was an invasion-a welcomed invasion of her body. An invasion she fully sanctioned. To her it was more intimate than Daedalus entering her s.e.x.

"Ilida?" His voice hoa.r.s.e in her ear.

"Keep going," she said hoa.r.s.ely.

"Not casual... is it?"

He worked her back and forth in both openings. Then he gave her two fingers inside her s.e.x and two in her forbidden opening. Not so forbidden now the way she moaned and threw her head back. She stiffened then another o.r.g.a.s.m.

Wet hardness rubbed against Ilida's b.u.t.t cheek in circles. It rimmed her tight opening, replacing his fingers. He pushed forward. Pain made her b.u.t.t muscles quiver. The quivering set off tiny tremors in her womb and sucked him further inside her. Three inches. Four inches more.

He bent over her. His long, strapping limbs trapped her in a coc.o.o.n. His torso shielded her from the coolness of the living room, his breath raspy and hot in her ear.

Ilida gasped as he pushed more length, more of him into her behind. Pain, l.u.s.t spread throughout her body from that strange place.

Unbelievable, how now doing this she felt a part of him, breathing with him.

Breathlessly he asked, "Do you trust me, now?"

Ilida's voice caught in her throat. Warmth invaded her lower region. All thought and feelings centered on his manhood and his fingers in both holes. She vacillated between pain and pleasure.

"You want more?"

"Please, yes," she pleaded.

He pushed in. It must have been the remaining three inches of him. He totally filled her. Then impossibly his fingers established a rhythm moving against her nether lips. Then he eased out her hips alternating between two rhythms. It was insistent, leaving her insides vibrating.

Sweat ran down her back. Arousal ran down her thighs onto his wrist.

Now four fingers impaled her while he drove inside her b.u.t.t. Light kisses on her neck soothed her, giving her more sweet vibrations.

She lowered her head watching his leg muscles convulse from the effort. His body corded with muscle. Remarkably, he gave her his whole fist.

It was her undoing. Her body pulsed and tightened around his fingers. She reared up scrunching his erection as her o.r.g.a.s.m shook her.

He gave her one last Herculean shove as he released his seed into her. Ilida collapsed onto the couch. Daedalus followed. All she could hear and feel was the sound of her heart beating as Daedalus's breath mingled with hers. She drifted off to sleep, his manhood still rooted inside her.

I felt the gentle rise of her back underneath me. She breathed softly as she slept, the smell of dried blood an indication of our intense activity. A luxury I'd never had with Juliana's mother. Our joining had been fast and full of mercy and kindness. I'd been a pathetic sight chained to the wall of the lava tombs waiting for my next slashing by Ma.n.u.s-unable to fight and unwilling to defend myself or to get away. I'd been beaten, and starved for many things. The monthly rituals of the Breeding Circle haunted me. I'd wanted to feel arms embrace me, a lover to call me, but he'd barred me from feeling those emotions allowed. Ma.n.u.s called me an aberration-something unearthly, an abnormality in the vampiric gene pool.

She'd found me there. Somehow, she'd gotten away from Ma.n.u.s, released me from my manacles, seduced me. She accepted me just like Ilida had an hour ago. That night had been the best night of my life then. Tonight was the best night and worst night of my life. I wanted Ilida again. I always want more, and this time was no exception. Vampires are sensual creatures, after all.

I pulled my c.o.c.k out of her a.s.s smoothly. Great Zeus! The musk! I shouldn't want more. I should investigate Ilida. She fell into my life to neatly to be mere coincidence. However, here I am with my bulging c.o.c.k standing at attention ready to f.u.c.k her again. I gripped myself, feeling the veins and ridges. I was harder than ever.