Page 24 of Taken By The Vampire King

I laughed. “Not this time. I was going to say he’s sent a traditional Cajun gumbo.”

“Mmm.” She moaned in appreciation before even seeing the food, and I was perfectly happy to keep feeding her in hopes of hearing that sound repeated.

Baldwin moved silently onto the roof and began serving our lunch, and as Leia took her fork in her hand, I asked my first question. I didn’t need to eat—it was something I only did for show, and not something I enjoyed very much—so I tried to keep myself busy with conversation while eating the occasional mouthful so no one noticed anything amiss.

“Did you grow up in Baton Rouge?” I knew the answer, of course, but I was curious to see how much she’d tell me.

Leia’s reply was a harsh laugh. “Born here, never even left the city limits.” She laughed harshly again. “Most likely I’ll die here. Maybe even in this casino if that look on your assistant’s face earlier was anything to go by.”

I looked down to hide my grimace. I’d hoped Valérie’s attitude had passed her by, but maybe a little instinctive wariness was a good thing. It would help keep her safe around my family, who definitely didn’t share my philosophy on freely donated blood rather than feeding directly from the vein.

“Have you never traveled?” I kept the conversation moving rather than dwelling on Valérie.

Leia shrugged, a little defensive. “Haven’t had much opportunity. Mom died, Dad went downhill, and I haven’t even had time for friends or…” She stopped, and a pink blush flared across her cheeks. “Friends. So I don’t really know how to be around people. Sorry if that interferes with your plans for arm candy. I’m more likely to be arm brambles, I suspect.”

“That sounds…positively exciting. Do your thorns cause the good type of pain?” I murmured, and pleasure coursed through me as her blush deepened.

Her dynamic with Jean made a lot of sense now. As did her virginal status. She had no time for friends, let alone anything deeper, and she was obviously quite self-conscious about it. I moved the conversation away from anything that might embarrass her, spearing mouthfuls of crawfish and andouille between exchanging anecdotes and telling jokes just for the purpose of hearing her laugh.

“Do you mean it?” she asked after a while. Her eyes softened as she gazed up at me.

“Mean what?” I feigned ignorance.

She laughed and nudged my ribs gently. “You know what.”

I shook my head. “Nope.” I could still feel where she’d aimed that small nudge, like she’d seared it on me. I almost wanted to press my hand there and capture the touch forever.

She scoffed and shook her head. “You know what I mean.”

I turned my gaze to her, looking deep into her beautiful eyes. “Yeah.” My voice came out soft, deep. “Yeah, I do. And yeah, you are like your mother.”

A lock of her hair fluttered around her face, and I lifted my hand to tuck it behind her ear before I froze. She watched me, her pupils dilating slightly, and I lowered my hand back to my lap.

She was quickly becoming the most tolerable human I’d ever met. And more than that, I wanted her in my bed for more than the power she’d grant me. Desire for her coursed through me, heating my blood.

As we talked more about her mother and Leia relaxed, she gradually moved toward me. Or I moved toward her. Suddenly, we sat very close together, our thighs touching, and I savored her body heat, not daring to move in case she realized we were so close.

The sunlight hit her hair and gave the deep brown a red glow, and something about her skin made me want to touch it. Stroke it. Lick it.

Pierce it.

My control was slowly slipping away.

I needed to taste her again. That kiss outside the store hadn’t been enough. It had started a thundering desire inside me that couldn’t be assuaged, and now my awareness of Leia consumed me in every beat of my heart, every breath I took.

At first, I tried to ignore it, but need rose inside me until I leaned toward her, close enough that my lips pressed against hers. So soft, so perfect, but she just sat there, and I waited. Then she pushed back against me, increasing the pressure of our mouths, and she sighed as she laid a palm against my chest, underneath my jacket but over my shirt. I groaned at the soft touch and slid my tongue carefully over her closed lips, willing her to open for me.

When she did, I explored the soft inside of her mouth, triumph like bubbles in my bloodstream. She’d welcomed me. This was willing.

Her tongue met mine with unexpected passion, and her rapid breaths increased my desire. I knew how she’d sound beneath me now, and it only made me want that even more. She moved her hand to wrap her arms around my neck, and her breasts pressed to my chest as she leaned in closer, eliminating the gaps between our bodies. We fit together perfectly.

But I’d known that already. She belonged to me, and we fit. As she shifted closer again, I took hold of her thigh and helped her swing her leg over me, breathing in deeply as the change in position released the scent of her arousal.

I couldn’t think. I could only feel and move as she ground over my hard cock, rubbing the ridge of her jeans over it as she gasped out her breaths, and I kissed her in a frantic way I hadn’t kissed anyone in more years than I could remember.

This woman stole my control as I ran my hands over her body, tugging her T-shirt free of her waistband so I could touch that soft skin. I drew circles on her back with my thumbs, and she moved faster against me like she was searching for something.

I wanted to give her everything, and I lifted toward her as she arched her back and her soft breasts pushed against me.

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