Page 50 of Guarded By the Phantom

He gave me a knowing grin, which I saw from the corner of my eye. Tiffany chose that moment to make the first cut. Strands of my wet blonde hair fell on the floor, and Phantom hissed, looking like he was in pain.

“So, this vampire lord is romancing his maid,” he said, turning his eyes back to the book.

I watched him, though. Every time the scissors snipped, his foot propped up on the dresser twitched. Snip, snip. Twitch, twitch. Like… Like he couldn’t stand the fact I was getting my hair cut.

I refused to follow that train of thought, taking a bracing breath to focus on his recap of the book.

“He keeps trying to seduce her, but she’s a very proper, religious girl, and she suspects he just wants to use her, so she resists him, even though she’s falling for him at the same time. He’s been coming up with excuses to get her into his bedroom at night.”

“Sounds delicious,” Tiffany said with a laugh, turning my head gently. “You really have a voice for this, too.”

For some reason, that annoyed me. She’d already said it, didn’t she? There was no reason to repeat herself.

“Thank you,” Phantom said with a pleased grin and began reading.

“She stood in my chamber, clutching her soft hands to her heaving breasts, her heart beating with want. I smelled the scent of her blood as it frothed anxiously in her veins, ready to be reaped. Ready to satisfy my thirst as I plunged myself into her.

’Sir, I really shouldn’t be here,’ she murmured imploringly. ‘I’ve fed your fire and fluffed your pillows. If that is all, I would like to leave.’

’Stay,’ I growled, my voice turning harsh with pounding desire. ‘For that is not all. I require you to warm my bed, as well. The night is cold, and you know very well I cannot get warm on my own. Please, Beatrice.’

She flinched in shock as I addressed her so, baring my soul to her. Seeing her hesitation, I seized my chance, falling to myknees in front of my maid like she was the lady, and I her mere servant.

’Please, I beg of you, sweetest,’ I murmured, looking into her wide, fearful eyes. ‘Please, do not leave me alone. I am so cold, so lonely. Let me inside you so I can be warm. Let me drink of you, so I am not alone.’

Trembling like a leaf, she finally gave a nod. I sprang to my feet at once, taking her face in my hands. Her quick breaths warmed my fingers, and the pink flushing her cheeks made my fangs elongate with desire so great, I’d never felt such before. When she closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek into my hand, taking a timid step toward me, my control left me in a rush.

’Such a lovely thing,’ I whispered, grasping her thick, luscious braid in my fist. I pulled it slowly back, baring her creamy, slender neck for my pleasure. ‘Thank you.’

I slid my fangs over her throat once, relishing her violent trembling. When I pierced her skin with reverent slowness, she sagged in my arms, releasing a moan so loud, my manhood hardened at once, straining for her. I pushed into her until my fangs were buried deep and drank, the sweetest nectar flooding my mouth with vicious pleasure.

‘Oh!’ she cried, her hands burying in my hair and tugging me closer.

I needed no other encouragement. With a sharp tug, I ripped her dress open, revealing warm, creamy breasts. One filled my hand and I squeezed the plump flesh, my chilly skin heating from the touch.

More blood filled my mouth, satiating my thirst, until I had my fill of that. I pulled away, lapping at the punctures soothingly. As my venom dripped into them, they closed, leaving behind the faintest marks.

‘You warm your master so well,’ I murmured, kneading her breast. ‘Come into bed, beloved.’

She swayed on her feet with a moaned assent, and I took her into my arms and leapt through the room, draping her on top of my sheets. She covered herself with her hands, and I coaxed them apart with kisses and murmured pleas.

‘Never hide from me, dearest,’ I begged before I pulled her dress off, revealing all.

She trembled but let me look. I freed myself from the confines of my trousers, my pulsing, aching length cold and weeping. When she saw me, her face flushed darker, eyes hooding with need.

‘Will you let me inside you so I can be warm?’ I asked, shaking with desire.

When she looked up at my face, so sweet, so obedient, her red lips parted, and she whispered, ‘Yes, Master.’

Phantom closed the book, and I took a shaky breath, realizing how shallowly I’d breathed while he read. My face was flushed in the mirror, my eyes as dark as Beatrice’s in the story. He got up and stood behind Tiffany, giving me a wide grin in the mirror.

“You’ll have to read the rest yourself, but I hope I got you over the worst hurdle,” he said with a snicker.

As he went back to the chaise, humming under his breath, I eyed my emerging haircut and wondered if it was long enough to be gripped and tugged just a bit. And then I thought about Phantom and whether I could call him into my bedroom under false pretenses and seduce him—or maybe beg him on my knees.

Frivolous, stupid thoughts. But at least, they kept me distracted as I openly went against my mother’s wishes for the first time in years.

Chapter 17

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