Page 43

CELINE

I toss and turn, trying to get comfortable but my body refuses.

With a sigh, I shove the covers off and sit up in bed.

Sleep is futile.

I can’t stop thinking about Zav. He’s invaded every crevice of my mind.

Why do I keep resisting him so hard when he’s clearly what I want? Sometimes I wish I was different, not so closed off, but it’s not that easy for me to open up and let other people in—to share myself and my body with another person, but god do I want to do that with Zav.

My feet seem to take me to my front door of their own accord. I’m not sure what my plan is, but I guess I’ll figure it out.

Opening the door, a figure falls inside and a black blob runs past me into the room.

A scream tears out of me, and I slap my hand quickly over my mouth when I realize it’s Zavier and Midnight.

“What the hell are you doing?” I hiss, bending to grab his arm and drag him inside my apartment. It’s giving me flashbacks to when he showed up at his own door bleeding out, but a quick scan shows he’s unharmed.

He lies back flat on my floor as I shut the door and blinks up at me, eyes almost owlish behind his glasses.

“Hi.”

Hands on my hips, I level him with a glare. “Explain yourself.”

He flashes a smile, incisors the tiniest bit elongated. My treacherous body responds, and I squeeze my thighs together.

“Just keeping you safe, darling. Why were you sneaking out?”

I cross my arms over my chest, and it pushes my breasts up in the tank I went to bed in. My nipples pebble against the fabric and he takes it in, licking his lips.

“I wasn’t sneaking.”

I’m stalling, I know, but I don’t care.

“Are you not going to offer me a hand?” he jokes, still sprawled in my entry.

“No.”

He hops up in one lithe movement that reminds me that this man is very much not human. That fact should probably deter my attraction, but strangely I think it only heightens it.

“I’m going to ask you again, Celine.” He stalks toward me with lethal grace.

“Why were you leaving?” He keeps moving forward until I’m backed against the door.

He lowers his head, lips grazing my cheek on their way to my ear.

“You really don’t have to answer. I can scent it on you.

Your arousal. Have you finally decided to put me out of my misery? ”

My breath stutters out of me. “I … I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” His words are a growl against my skin. “I think you do. I might not be able to read minds, but I’m not stupid, Celine.” His fingers graze my jaw. “Be honest. If you lie to me, I won’t hesitate to throw you over my knee and spank you.”

I whimper at the warning. “I was … I was coming to get you. I didn’t have any plan after that.”

He smirks. “Lucky for you, I do have a plan.”

I gasp but the sound is quickly swallowed up by his mouth. His left hand slides from my cheek to the back of my neck, guiding my head to the side as he claims me.

Every kiss we have is electric but this ... this is all consuming.

Zav worships my mouth, kissing me like if he doesn’t, he’ll suffocate.

My body practically melts beneath his touch and when my legs begin to give out, he lifts me effortlessly, encouraging me to wrap my legs around his waist. I moan into his mouth at the feel of his hard length pressing against my core.

The cotton shorts I have on provide little barrier against his sweatpants.

“Zav,” I gasp his name as his lips move down my neck. He sprinkles kisses over the tops of my breasts.

He pulls back to look me in the eyes. “Do you want this, Celine?” he asks, voice raspy from a mixture of desire and the hint of fangs poking out. “Do you want me?”

For a moment, fear threatens to choke me.

Deep down I know that if I cross this line with Zav there’s no going back, but I’m not sure if I want to go back.

What am I so scared of? Is loving someone really so terrible?

I can’t let my mom abandoning my dad rule my entire life.

I’m not her and Zav’s not him. I need to live my life for me and a future where I’m happy.

I stroke my finger down his cheek and his eyes soften at my touch.

This is what I want.

He’s what I want.

I know Zav, and yes won’t be a good enough answer, so instead I say, “I want you.”

The look of relief on his face makes my entire body shake.

I’m surprised he assumed I’d say no. I might be insane for falling for a vampire, but he makes it obvious at every turn that he cares about me more than any human man ever has.

With that, I know if I said no he would set me down and walk away even if it killed him. Blue balls of the century.

“Celine,” he croons my name and the way he says it is better than any outlandish pet name he could possibly come up with. “Did you touch yourself in the shower?” he asks softly, peppering kisses along my jawline.

“No,” I lie.

“Liar,” he immediately calls me out. “I could hear you.” His lips trail down my neck and I gasp when his fangs graze against the spot where my pulse beats steadily. “Smell you.” He inhales that spot of my neck, and I shiver. “And now, I’m going to taste you.”

A squeal rips out of me because one second he has me against the door and the next I’m lying on my mattress staring up at him. He grins down, fangs on proud display.

“If you only knew how many fangboners I’ve sprouted because of you.”

“How many?” I taunt.

He hooks his thumbs in the back of his shirt, and it takes a concerted effort on my part not to openly gawk at his chiseled body. Every inch of him is rippled with lean muscle. His skin smooth and pale. I haven’t wanted to admit it to myself, but Zavier isn’t just hot, he’s otherworldly.

My pussy clenches in anticipation.

He smirks at the fact that I’m actively checking him out as he lets the shirt drift to my floor.

I might have to steal that one like he loves to do with my clothes.

“I’m so fucking hungry, baby. You have no idea.” He drops to his knees at the end of the bed. “Been dreaming of this pussy for so long.”

I whimper as his fingers curl into the cotton of my shorts.

When they’re gone, a groan rumbles in his throat when he finds me bare. I feel like I should be embarrassed with the way he stares at me, studying my pussy like he’s going to need to pass an anatomy test by the time he’s done ravishing me.

“So pink. So fucking wet. Just for me.” The words are a lisp around his fangs.

For a moment, fear holds me hostage. What if one of those needle like incisors stabs me down there?

But like he can read my worries, he spreads my thighs wide open with a firm hand on each leg, and he says, “Don’t worry, pretty girl, I’ll be careful.”

I cry out, my back bowing off the bed at the first lick of his tongue against my pussy.

He licks and sucks, lapping at my center like I’m his own personal feast.

My heart thumps in my ears, the beat out of control with no real pattern. Between my legs, Zav moans. This man is moaning just from the taste of me. Talk about a fucking turn on.

His hips grind against the bed as he goes down on me. That’s how desperate he is for friction. It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

His tongue swirls around my clit and then he sucks on it, sending a riot of fireworks up my spine to explode behind my lids.

“Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god,” I chant, my fingers seeking and searching for purchase and finally finding it in Zav’s silky soft hair. It’s his turn to whimper as I yank.

When I come down from my high, I find him watching me from between my thighs, his eyes wide with awe and something like reverence.

His lips quirk into a half-smile. “Next time, you better scream my name. If you don’t”—his voice deepens, green eyes darkening to an emerald that borders on black— “there will be consequences.”

I shiver at the tone of his voice—at the delicious promise lingering there that says I might like my consequences even if I’m slightly terrified to find out what they are.

He strokes his fingers over my wet core, two digits slipping inside easily while his thumb presses against my clit. I gasp, hips jolting.

He grins, eyes flashing. “How many times do you think I can make you come?” He cocks his head to the side. “You’ve already come once. Hmm? Three? Five? More?”

“I don’t know,” I gasp as he works his fingers in and out of me.

“God, do I love a challenge. You’re one I look forward to conquering.”

He rises up, mouth claiming mine even as his fingers work me. I feel like maybe I should be embarrassed by how wet I sound, but I realize this is Zav and I have nothing to be embarrassed about.

Another orgasm shudders through me all too easily and with Zav’s mouth still on mine he swallows each sound I make.

“You’re so fucking pretty when you come,” he croons, lips grazing my neck. “You flush the prettiest shade of pink. Pink just might be my new favorite color.”

With a groan, I give him a shove and he rolls onto the other side of the bed.

Now that I know he’s a vampire with freakish strength and healing abilities and who knows what else, I know that he’s only rolled over because he wants to.

He smiles at me, crossing his arms behind his head.

It flexes his biceps, and I can’t help but stare.

I bite my lip when I get an eyeful of his cock pressing against his sweatpants. A guy in sweatpants is unrivaled.

“Can I?” My eyes dart to his, seeking permission.

“If I come the second you touch me, no judging.”

I press my lips together in a futile effort to hide my smile. My heart leaps in my chest.

My hand finds him over his pants, palming his length.

Zavier hisses between his teeth, hips bucking.

When I look back up at him, his eyes are closed and he’s biting his lip, incisors poking out.

My core flutters at the power I have over this man.

Later, maybe I’ll have the sanity to be horrified by how much his fangs turn me on, but now’s not the time to question my mental well-being.