Page 28 of Prey

“Let go of me and walk away,” I managed, lowly. “You’re the one doing this. Not me. Let. Me. Go.” The last was silent.

A battle played on his face as his eyes darted between mine. “I…can’t.” Pain laced his words and I saw through the mask he relied on. His nature. He truly couldn’t help himself when it came to staying away. Emotions I knew weren’t mine pushed through and I could feel his dilemma as if it were my own. Everything he was, everything he used to be that he could barely remember. He knew nothing but the vampire that stood before me now. And he was trapped by a hunger so intense, my human mind couldn’t even begin to grasp the vastness. If I died, this would end for him. He’d have no more obsession. No more arising problems in his community. He’d be free. And lonely. An emotion he couldn’t really remember feeling. Even though he craved to kill me more than anything, he wanted to keep me, too. Even if it was until whatever we shared ended.

The wave of information dissipated as fast as it came and I knew he’d made it happen. He wanted me to understand. To somehow…help him? Desperation was all he had left and I didn’t have an answer that made any rational sense. If we continued to have any sort of contact, he would kill me. He wouldn’t be able to take the effects of his condition indefinitely. He’d snap like he’d just done and I’d be history. Unless…

No. My head shook. I’d rather die than be bonded to him.

A growl had his hand going back to my throat, but he didn’t squeeze. “I can still read your mind. Your refusal is starting to make me want it even more. What’s a bonded human if I can get rid of this…insanity? I could still kill you. All I’d have to do is whisper one word into your ear and you’d drop upon hearing it.”

“Where’s the fun in that? You like to play with your food, Marko. We both know that.”

He stepped down from the ladder, pulling me into him. “I do. I especially like to play with you.”

The hand that was still on my arm moved over to the swell of my breast and I turned away, not making it far before he spun me into the wall.

“Maybe bonded won’t be so bad. It’s not like I have to make you my concubine. You could live your life, I’d live mine. I’d just take you when I want.”

My hands pushed against his pecs. “But I don’t want you.”

“Lie,” he whispered, pushing his knee between mine. “You want me in all ways. I can smell your arousal, mon chaton. Even as hurt as you are, you want me so bad, you can’t stand it.”

“I can’t stand you,” I forced out. “Do you think I like being choked, threatened, and stalked? I want to live my life without that sort of risk. I want to get married and have children. I want a husband who loves me passionately and not just because I’m lunch.”

His face buried in my neck as if what I said had nothing to do with him. Lips trailed up my throat, kissing over the soreness his fingers had brutally caused. From rough to gentle, he flipped his switch quicker than I could adjust to.

“That’s not in your future, Tessa. You might as well put that out of your head now.” He pulled back, staying close as he dipped forward, rubbing his rough cheek against my face. “Even if I did let you go, bonded, do you really think I’d allow another man in your home or your bed? The obsession may fade, but you still belong to me. If you live, you’ll always be mine. I won’t share. Not for anyone.”

My hands flew out angrily and tears burned my eyes. Even if I did make it out alive, he’d always be there. I’d never be rid of him unless I figured out a way to kill him first.

“Such dangerous thoughts you cradle with so much love in your mind. You’d rejoice in my death, but not for long. You’re tied to me now, Tessa. If you survived my demise, you’d never be happy. You’d likely go insane. Our blood is one now. Dependent on each other until the tie ends. Face it, mon chaton. Your happily-ever-after isn’t so happy after all.”

My dreams, my hopes for the future, it all came crashing down around me as I looked into his eyes. I felt numbness sink in, all the while, heartache. It couldn’t be this way. I refused to let it be so. “Kill me,” I said, struggling against him. “Kill me right now. I will not live a life that revolves around you. I choose my death for me. Not you.”

An angry hiss blew against the side of my face and stinging rushed to the surface of my scalp at him jerking my hair. I cried out, preparing for the worst. Sirens registered in the far background just as his fangs buried in my neck. My body spasmed and then melted into him. The reaction was automatic. At the thickness that entered, I moaned through the instant ecstasy. It had his arms wrapping around my waist and drawing me against him.

Each bite was better than the last and I let out soft sounds as he tugged at my vein with his soft suckling. Where I expected a hard, rough last few minutes, it was beginning as anything but.

Lower, his hand moved. Sharp fingernails registered over the small of my back and I reached for his shoulders, holding tight as I waited for him to shred my skin like I saw him do to the other woman. Where fear should have registered, it didn’t. I knew it was because of the poison he was pumping into me. His blood within had me giving myself over freely, for whatever that may have been. Here, I was his. And I liked that.

My shirt eased up while my heart raced in anticipation. Tingling prickled every inch of me as he ran the pointy tips up my side, adding pressure in the smallest amount. The swirl of his tongue brought my breasts pushing into his chest, urging him on. The nails retracted and his fingers squeezed into my back.

“You love being mine. Let me hear you say it.”

Hardness pushed against my pussy and I move my hips, wishing he’d end it now, before we were too far gone. I couldn’t stop the impatience that had me pulling on him. It was a bad sign, even if I couldn’t hold onto that feeling.

“Say it, mon chaton.” The words were spoken more forcefully in my mind. A moan followed and I could feel him tugging at the lining of my pants until he had them off. Within seconds, he ripped my panties free. If he’d heard my thoughts on wanting to die now, he ignored them.

“Yes, I love being yours.” And like that, the words came whispering out without my permission. Even as I said it, I was pushing on my toes to try to get him inside of me faster.

Marko broke from my neck, breathing heavily. His mouth crushed into mine while he pushed me deeper into the wall. I drank him in…drank me in, as I felt his cock spring free against my lower stomach. A distinctive taste coated my tongue and I turned to the side, breaking our connection, only to come back and meet his stare head on. Who knew death could taste so sweet?

We held each other while he lifted me and rubbed the head of his cock against my wet opening. The thickness over my clit caused me to jump at the sensitivity but left behind a need that overpowered the one only moments before.

“Give yourself to me,” I begged. “Just…” frustration seemed to cloud the passion and I wasn’t sure where it had come from. What was I pleading for? His cock? His heart? The smallest amount of humanity hidden within his darkness? Escape?

Marko inched his way into my pussy, turning his face into the other side of my neck. I held to him, letting myself enjoy the way he stretched me to fit around him. My hips arched even more and I felt him surge forward. A loud groan vibrated my neck and he reached around with his other hand, smearing the trail of blood from the open wound left behind. The warmth stretched down toward my breasts and he went back, collecting more on his fingers. My lips separated as he pushed the pad of his index finger over my bottom one. He thrust his cock hard, moving his finger to my top lip. All my fantasies came rushing back. My tongue hesitantly darted to the edge, collecting the smartest amount of my blood. Marko’s breath hitched and his mouth dove forward so he could kiss me again.

“You drive me crazy, Tessa. If you only knew what I was really thinking… I see you. The real you. The Tessa no one else knows, who you try never to think about. The one you’ve denied this whole time. I want to bring her out. To explore every dark fantasy she’s ever had.”

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