"So they really don't want my blood. Your colleagues, they're not keeping me because of that," she said as if talking to herself.

"No. They wanted to protect me. Even though they were royally p.i.s.sed when they found out that I already knew about your blood and didn't tell them. Anyway, now that they think they've kept me from you, they're busy combing the city for any evidence of where the blood brothel moved to. They want to destroy those vampires. I promise you."

"And the girls and I? What will they do with us?" There was a trace of fear in her voice.

Oliver had worked for Scanguards long enough to know what they were planning, even though n.o.body had talked about the ultimate plan. "Once we've found them, we'll make sure they go back to their families, and if need be, we'll set up new identifies for them so n.o.body will ever find out about them and what makes them special."

"They will do that? For us? For humans?"

Oliver stroked his knuckles over her cheek. "Yes. They're there to protect you. Just like I am."

She inched closer. "How did you even find me?"

"One of the girls here overhead when you said something about me, and she called me."

Her eyes widened and she jerked back from him. "You're a client here?"

Oliver leaned closer. "No, I'm not. I just come here for . . . uh company."

"Company?!" She looked at him, clearly not believing him.

"I'm friends with Vera, and her girls like me. But I've never come here for s.e.x." He grinned. "At least not until tonight."

30.

Oliver wanted to sleep with her. Ursula felt a wave of heat shoot from her belly all the way into her head and spread in her cheeks. If she looked anything like she felt right now, she'd say she was blushing like a ripe tomato. Her anger at Oliver had vanished when he'd recounted what had happened at the nightclub and afterwards. Oliver hadn't betrayed her secret. He'd kept his word. Even though by doing so he'd drawn the wrath of his colleagues upon him.

When Oliver leaned in even closer, she dropped her lids. "I'm sorry I cursed you behind your back."

His lips approached her mouth, his breath ghosting over her skin. "I can live with that if you're willing to make it up to me."

She opened her eyes fully, meeting his sensual gaze. The blue of his eyes was almost blinding. "How?"

"A kiss would be a good start."

"What else?" she asked, meeting him halfway.

"You, naked." He glanced behind her, a wicked smile forming on his face. "Preferably tied to this wrought iron headboard."

Her breath caught in her chest. Instinctively, she pulled back a fraction. "Why?"

"To teach you to trust me. To teach you that even if you're tied up and vulnerable, I would never do anything to hurt you. That even when you're at my mercy, you still have your free will, you're still the one in charge of your body and your mind."

She stared at him, scared, because she'd spent three years of her life with her hands tied to her bed, being robbed of her free will. She shivered. "It won't work. I can't let you tie me up. They did that to me. Theya""

He put his finger over her lips. "I know what they did to you. That's why you and I will do this together now. To wipe away the bad memories. When we're done here, you'll a.s.sociate being tied up with pleasure, not with fear, frustration, and pain. Because I'll make sure that all you'll feel is pleasure. Nothing else."

She didn't doubt that he wanted to shower her with pleasure, but she couldn't imagine ever being able to forget those days when she'd been chained to her bed. "What makes you think it will work? Psych 101?"

He smiled. "I never went to college. But I've always been able to read women. And when we made love in my van, you couldn't let go of the chains they bound you with. They're still there." He softly knocked at her temple. "Still in there. And as long as you can't shake them, you'll never be able to share your body freely. Call me selfish, but when I make love to you, I want to feel all of you. I don't want you to hold back because you're afraid. I want you to be free."

Free, the word sounded so good. But could she ever truly feel free? Even now she was still incarcerated, even though it was for her own protection. "And that's why you want to tie me up?"

Oliver's eyes darkened. "That and . . . because the idea of you at my mercy makes me so hard that I'm ready to burst."

He took her hand and led it to the front of his jeans. When he pressed it onto the bulge that had formed there, she felt heat underneath her palm where his erection pulsed.

"And if I asked you to untie me, would you do it immediately?" she asked, her voice trembling, because she was considering something she should never contemplate. But whenever Oliver looked at her with desire and l.u.s.t in his eyes, a different side of her took over and made decisions for her.

He shook his head, bringing her heart to a complete stop. "No. You'll be able to untie yourself. I'll only use silk scarves to tie your hands to the headboard. But the knots will be so loose that you'll be able to slip from them whenever you feel the need."

Relief made her release the breath she'd held. She looked at him and remembered the things he'd done for her to achieve an o.r.g.a.s.m in the back of his van, how selfless he'd been, how giving. So if this game of bondage was something he wanted, she could try it. He hadn't hurt her so far. There was no reason he would do so now. Slowly she nodded, praying that she wasn't making the biggest mistake of her life. "Yes."

Oliver pulled her into his arms and hugged her close. "Oh baby, thank you. You won't regret it!"

Then his mouth was on hers, searing her lips with a pa.s.sionate kiss. He was different from the time in his van: more pa.s.sionate, wilder, and more untamed. Had she made the right decision? But she had no occasion to contemplate it any further, because Oliver's kiss robbed her of the ability to think. Instead, all sensory receptors in her body seemed to switch on as if he'd flicked a switch.

His hot breath seared her, his tongue delved deep into her, leaving no corner unexplored, and his hands roamed her body, commanded by a man who knew he would encounter no resistance. With confidence and determination, he pulled her T-shirt over her head, exposing her naked skin beneath. Skin that tingled pleasantly. When the zipper of his jacket rubbed against her breast, she cried out, making him release her instantly.

"Your jacket," she said. "Take it off. Take all of it off."

Oliver jumped from the bed and rid himself of his clothes. She'd never seen anybody undress himself with such speed and grace. When he stood in front of her with only his boxer briefs, she licked her lips, and her eyes moved to the impressive outline of his c.o.c.k. The bulbous head of his erection peeked out from the waistband of his underwear, too large to be contained by the fabric that stretched too tightly to truly conceal anything.

"I love the way you look at me," he claimed.

"How do I look at you?"

He growled softly. "Hungry."

Before she could reply to him, he stripped her of her jeans, leaving her with only her bikini panties. But instead of joining her on the bed again, he turned to the chest of drawers behind him and opened the top drawer. He rummaged around in it.

"What are you doing?"

He turned, and she saw him holding up a virtually see-through negligee. He tossed it at her. "Put this on. I think you'll look good in red."

She took the gauzy fabric that hid nothing and slipped it over her head. It was surprisingly soft. But as soon as she wore it, she also realized that the area where it should cover her b.r.e.a.s.t.s was devoid of fabric. She felt scandalous in the outfit and was about to take it off again when she noticed Oliver staring at her, unbridled desire burning in his eyes.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, and the admiring sheen in his eyes made her heart beat faster. At the same time her nipples tightened into hard little buds, and she felt moisture collect at her core.

Slowly, she lowered herself back onto the mattress, aware that she was presenting herself as if on a silver platter, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s sticking out through the holes in the negligee. Suddenly she felt powerful. She felt like she was the one in charge, the one who pulled the strings. Ursula licked her lips.

"f.u.c.k, baby!" Oliver cursed and jerked open the second drawer, pulling out a couple of silk scarves, before he walked to the bed and joined her.

He straddled her midsection, then leaned over her, the erection behind his boxer briefs brushing against her stomach. "Stretch your arms over your head."

"In a moment." She would comply with his wish, but there was something she wanted first.

Without embarra.s.sment she tugged on the waistband of his boxer briefs, pulling them down as far as his position allowed. Then she closed her palm around his hard c.o.c.k and squeezed the firm flesh.

Oliver moaned loudly, his eyes closing, his head falling back. His breathing accelerated as she stroked him, running her hand up and down his length.

"You've gotta stop," he begged, "or I'll spill all over you." His eyes opened and met hers.

"And would that be so terrible?"

He gripped her hand and gently pried it off him. "Yes. Because I want to come inside you when you're climaxing."

Then he took both her hands and pinned them over her head. With swift and surprisingly practiced moves, he tied both her hands to the bed frame. She pulled on them slightly and noticed that they were loose, just like he'd promised. If she curled her hands, she could slip from the bonds.

"Promise me something."

She looked up into his blue eyes. "Yes?"

"Pretend you can't escape those bonds. I'd like to believe that you're at my mercy, even though I know that I'm at yours."

She nodded, surprised at his words. Did he really think he was at her mercy? Or was this all part of the s.e.xual game they were playing? Either way, she liked the feeling of power that suddenly coursed through her. For so long, she'd had none. Now, she felt strong and invincible.

"In that case, come a little closer." She dropped her gaze to his c.o.c.k, noticing how he did the same.

A sharp intake of air signaled that he'd caught on to her thinking. "You're not . . . "

Deliberately slowly, she ran her tongue over her lower lip, then lifted her eyelids to meet his surprised look. "You did it to me."

"This isn't exactly how bondage works," he said as he scooted farther up her body, lifting himself onto his knees in the process. "I'm supposed to be the one telling you what I want you to do."

"Well, then maybe you should command me."

Oliver gripped the headboard behind her and leaned forward, bringing the tip of his erection to her mouth. "Suck me!"

"Thought you'd never ask." On her last word she licked over the mushroomed head, tasting the salty drop of moisture that had collected there. Then she slid her lips around the tip and opened wider.

Oliver eased forward, pushing his c.o.c.k into her mouth, moaning out his pleasure all the while. He was only halfway inside her, when he pulled back and repeated the movement. His skin was velvety soft, but beneath it, he was hard as steel. When she looked up at his face, she saw how he watched her with fascination. His eyes were filled with l.u.s.t, his lips parted. She could see the tips of his fangs. They had lengthened. At the thought of what he could do to her, a flame shot through her core. But instead of sending her into a panic, she felt her womb pulsate with need.

Instinctively, she sucked harder, pulling more of his shaft into her mouth. Oliver's head fell back, and he groaned loudly. "Oh, G.o.d, Ursula!" His hand slid underneath her nape, holding her there as his rhythm increased. But he didn't push any deeper into her, aware that his c.o.c.k was too big for her mouth, and that she would choke if he did.

Then suddenly, with a suppressed curse, he pulled out of her and moved backwards.

"f.u.c.k, baby, you're too good."

She smiled and licked her lips. They felt tender now. As if he knew what she needed, he bent down to her and kissed her softly to soothe them.

Moving his mouth to her ear, he whispered to her, "You have a very wicked streak, trying to get me to lose control like that. And wicked women have to be punished."

Her breath caught and instinctively, she pulled at her bonds. But his hand came up, stopping her from slipping from the bindings. A shiver ran down her body, and her heart began beating frantically.

"Easy."

His lips connected with the heated skin on her neck as he planted soft kisses on it. Slowly, she relaxed and released the tension in her shoulders and arms.

"Better," he murmured and moved down her body.

His lips found her nipple and captured it. He sucked it into his mouth, giving it a strong pull. Ursula cried out at the unexpected sensation, her pelvis tilting toward him in the same instant.

"Like that?"

"More," she demanded instead of an answer.

When he repeated his action, pleasure speared through her, sending a shockwave into her c.l.i.t. Her body arched toward him.

Oliver licked his tongue over her hardened nipple. "How about this then?" She felt something hard against her breast: teeth touching her skin, brushing over her nipple.

She reared up, but the scarves around her wrists tightened with her action.

Oliver pressed her back into the mattress and licked over her tender nipple once more. Then he shifted and his leg pushed her thighs farther apart. His hand slid down her body. When he reached her panties, he slipped his fingers under the fabric and ran them through her coa.r.s.e hair. But he didn't linger there. Instead, he moved deeper and touched her female folds, which were drenched with her juices.

"Oh, baby," he praised, "you're all wet for me."

He dropped his head to her other breast and kissed it, while he thrust one finger into her tight sheath. She let out a moan. "Oliver!"

It seemed to spur him on, because he licked her breast with even more fervor. He nibbled, sucked and kissed her flesh until it felt tender and raw. All the while, his finger drove in and out of her s.e.x.

"See, you can't escape me," he murmured. "You're at my mercy."

Then he suddenly pulled his finger from her clenching s.e.x and ripped her panties from her body. Cool air blew against her heated flesh. Before she could even take another breath, the blunt head of his c.o.c.k probed at the entrance to her body and plunged forward.

31.

He hadn't bothered taking off his boxer briefs completely. They still rested just below his b.u.t.t. That's how hot Ursula had gotten him. So turned on that he couldn't prevent his fangs from descending. She'd sucked him like a champion in oral gymnastics, and the outfit that exposed her b.o.o.bs made her look s.e.xier than anything he'd ever seen. Maybe he should have opted for her being naked, but no, he'd thought he could handle a little dress-up with her. Apparently he couldn't.

If he hadn't sunk his c.o.c.k into her when he had, he would have bitten her. His plan of making her come first had gone right out the window. Now all he could do to stop himself from sinking his fangs into her, was to drive his c.o.c.k into her over and over again.

"I'm sorry, Ursula, but I'm gonna have to f.u.c.k you really hard." Because he needed to pacify the beast inside him. And it would only be appeased if he exerted his power over her in another way, since he couldn't bite her.