Page 60 of Of Blood and Smoke

And I didn’t want to kink shame—especially not one that I didn’t know I had until last night. So okay, yes, I’d always been fascinated by blood, but I kept that to myself because it’s, well, socially awkward. My thoughts had me anxiously moving my feet around, scuffing the carpet.

Josiah tore his gaze from me but not before I saw irritation, surprise, and defeat color his expression. He stared at the wall to his right and ran a hand through his hair, his chest sinking as if he’d just taken a deep breath.

The floor became fascinating to me again.

“Della,” he addressed me, but I didn’t look up. “I’m not good at this. I’ve never been in this position before.” Before I could help it, I remembered some particularly satisfying positions we’d found ourselves in less than twelve hours ago.Bad timing, I admonished myself.

What are you doing, what are you doing.Those words kept running through my head. He wasn’t the only one who hadn’t found themselves in this situation before.

“I’ve thought about it and everything you do that seems unusual could just be technology or sleight of hand. Your eyes could have contact lenses. You could just really like blood. I mean, you’re rich enough to get away with being quirky,” I stated, the words rushing out of my mouth before I could stopthem. “I do want to believe you. I really like you, as you know. I just don't want to be lied to or made a fool of.”

“Come here,” he said. I walked over to the desk. “Sit.”

He arranged my limbs so I sat on the wooden surface of his desk, facing him. “Give me your arm. Now, look at me.”

Josiah turned my wrist over, exposing the tender underneath and spread his lips, baring his teeth. I watched as his already pronounced canine teeth lengthened and transformed, the ends turning as sharp as needles. I heard my intake of breath and kept my eyes on his, the irises swirling with obsidian smoke, while he gently lifted my soft skin to his mouth.

And then he bit me. His eyes rolled back into his head while my pulse thundered in my ears. It only stung for a moment and then it was as if a delicate string was attached between his mouth and my core. Desire hit me fast and strong, leaving my pussy clenching with need.

Every nerve in my body tingled and I swore I could feel my blood rushing to his mouth. I watched as traces of saliva tinged red where his lips met my flesh as he suckled. I was getting wetter and wetter between my legs and we were atwork, and it wouldn’t be long before I was tearing at his pants. Already, I was sliding off the desk, one hand with a death grip on the edge and the other hanging onto his shoulder for dear life. What if Micha came in?

“Josiah, please,” I panted. “Okay, I believe you.”

Next thing I knew, I was flattened to the desk and my legs thrown over his shoulders. He shoved my skirt up and my panties were torn off with the distinct sound of ripping fabric and then a long tongue was licking the slit between my legs. My hands grabbed onto his silky hair as I attempted to shove his face against my center.

With two fingers, he spread me open and alternated between long strokes and deep thrusts of his tongue as I writhed againsthim with his hand pressed to my lower belly, holding me in place.

Papers fell to the floor, and I heard a pen drop, but neither of us paid the lost items any mind. The heat of his mouth and the delicate sting of his fangs as he feasted on me were jolting. The fear of one of his lethally knife-like teeth stabbing me in my most sensitive space sent my lust soaring. He must've sensed my need because his hooded eyes flickered up at me and he slid his mouth up just a fraction of an inch. Our gazes locked as his teeth extended and then he bit into my mound and flicked his tongue feather-light against my clit.

The effect was mind-blowing and as I thrashed against him, my mouth split wide open in an ear-piercing scream. I heard him slurping and licking away any remaining traces of pain. Then he shoved his thick cock inside my soaked heat.

I slid further back on the desk as he railed into me before he grabbed my thighs, his nails digging into my skin to hold me in place. I was still trembling from my last orgasm as I felt the fire building in my veins again, the tight coiling in my gut.

Josiah bent slightly, hitting a different angle as his eyes fluttered closed and I shattered around him a second time. The waves of ecstasy stole my breath as they rolled through me hard and fast, one after another, my pussy clenching his cock as he came right along with me.

Spent, he leaned down and claimed my lips, the taste of my own blood and juices mingling between us and staining us crimson.

“I will never lie to you, Della. You can feel the truth in my touch.”

Grabbing his chin, I pulled him in and kissed him in answer. “Your face is covered with blood,” I said turning him to examine his cheeks. “It's everywhere.”

He gripped my arms and helped me up and off the desk. I straightened my skirt, looking longingly at my torn underwear flung carelessly to the floor.

“Come,” Josiah instructed me.

He led me to door in the wall that was unnoticeable until you were practically on top of it and pressed his hand to a sensor. The door opened and we walked into a stark white room that seemed like a giant bathtub, the floor shiny and with a bright, chrome drain in the floor. There were matching cabinets on one wall and equipment that appeared medical, with scalpels and rolling trays.

“What is this?” I stopped and glanced around; my arm stretched out with my fingers clasped by Josiah.

“My private quarters. I have an apartment here.”

“This doesn’t look very comfortable.”

He tugged me lightly. “It's not built for comfort, its designed for torture.”

I gave him an incredulous look. Why would he want a room like this to live in? “I have a lot of enemies, Little One. It attracts less attention to bring them here; we can’t deal with them in the street. There’s a private elevator for transportation.” He pointed at a wall to our left.

It hit me then, why Brett was so concerned. Did he know? What had he seen? Staring at my bloodthirsty lover, I remembered the scene at the street festival I’d gone to with Ashley, and I thought of the anger I’d seen etched across Josiah’s face and present in his stance at times. Hewaslethal. He was a vampire, a killer. A murderer. He was the man I’d seen in the corner of the parking lot.

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