Page 12 of Patrick’s Seduction (Scanguards Vampires #19)

12

F allon popped the antibiotics capsule and the anti-inflammatory pill into her mouth and reached for the glass Patrick handed her. She watched him pull his cell phone from his pocket and start typing something. Not wanting to look curious, she swallowed the medications quickly and chased them down with a couple of large gulps of the apple juice. There was a strange taste in her mouth, and she stared at the glass. Had the juice spoiled? She sniffed at the glass, taking in its scent. There was something off about the juice. Its color looked a little darker too, not as pale as usual.

“Something wrong?” Patrick asked, concern in his voice just as a ping sounded, indicating that he was receiving a text message.

Not wanting to sound difficult, she lied, “I just don’t like taking medications.” She placed the nearly empty glass on the coffee table.

“You won’t have to take them for long, I’m sure.” He gestured to the cuts on her arms. “Luckily, they’re not very deep. It could have been much worse.”

He was right. She was lucky that she only had minor injuries. Yet, she didn’t feel lucky. She felt on edge. Her life was being upended. Nothing felt right anymore. She wasn’t safe anywhere.

“I wish I could see it that way. But no matter how superficial the injuries are, they are proof of what a mess my life is.” Right now, she couldn’t see a way out of it.

Patrick sat down next to her on the sofa, turning his body sideways to face her. “I know it’s a lot you have to deal with right now.”

Tears threatened to well up in her eyes, but she forced them down. She didn’t want to feel like a victim. She wanted to be strong. “I don’t understand why he’s doing this to me. How can somebody be so vicious? So cruel?” She lifted her hand to brush a lock of her hair behind her shoulder, and noticed that her hand was trembling. Her nerves were frayed. How much longer would she be able to keep a brave face, when all she wanted was to wallow in her pain and let the tears wash it away?

Patrick took her hand and squeezed it, making her jolt involuntarily.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized quickly and released her hand. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“You didn’t; you don’t,” she replied, raising her gaze to his face. “I know you’re doing so much for me already. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but I wish all this was over already.” She sniffled. “But what if he’ll never give up? What if he never goes away?”

She expelled a breath, and with it, a sob tore from her throat. She pressed her hand on her mouth, trying to stop herself from crying, but to no avail. Maybe she needed a good cry, but she didn’t want to do this in front of Patrick. She didn’t want him to see her as a weak woman who needed a man’s shoulder to cry on.

“I’m sorry…” she whispered, trying to turn away.

Another breath, and she felt Patrick’s arms around her, pulling her against his broad chest.

“Don’t be. This is my fault,” Patrick claimed. “If I’d followed up with Cameron last night, this might have never happened…”

She lifted her head from his chest, staring at him. “You can’t know that…”

As if he’d done it many times before, he wiped a tear off her cheek, the tender touch awakening something in her. Something she shouldn’t allow to rise to the surface. But she had no strength left, and simply let it happen.

“I could have done more yesterday, but—” He sighed. “I’m dealing with a big murder case… Time got away from me last night after I left your place.”

In light of this revelation, she pulled back. “A murder case? Why would you even deal with my little problem when you have a much larger one to investigate?”

He pinned her with his eyes, his arms still around her, and had he been any other man, she would have felt imprisoned, trapped, but Patrick’s arms around her made her feel cradled the way somebody cradled something precious.

“It’s not a little problem,” he said. “In a way, a case like yours is more important, because in your case I can still prevent something terrible from happening, whereas in a murder case, all I can do, is find the killer, but I can’t bring back the victim.”

She hung on his lips, hearing the passion he had for his job, and understood that he gave a hundred percent to everything he did. And she heard a promise echoing in his words, the promise to protect her.

“You’re a good man, Patrick.” There was no doubt about it. This man had integrity.

A half-hearted smile formed on his lips. “I wish it were true. But I’m just as selfish as everybody else.”

She didn’t understand what he meant by that. “Selfish?”

He leaned in closer, bringing his face to within inches of hers. Her breath hitched at the sudden nearness.

“Don’t you remember what I did yesterday?”

She knew very well what he was referring to. “You mean when I kissed you?”

He shook his head. “No, when I kissed you .” His eyes dilated, their green color shimmering seductively. “Just like I want to right now. And that makes me no better than your stalker.”

For a moment, her mind went blank, and she just stared at him, her heart suddenly pounding out of control. She was fully aware of the need that had risen inside her earlier. The need that urged her to take action.

“You shouldn’t have to deal with unwanted attention,” he continued. “It’s bad enough that Cameron is making your life hell. You don’t need any added trouble from me.”

She swallowed slowly, gathering all her courage. “You’re right, Cameron is making my life hell, but you’re no trouble…” She hesitated, not knowing how to proceed. “I enjoyed kissing you…”

The sunlight shining in through the windows made Patrick’s eyes shimmer almost golden now.

“You shouldn’t tell me that.”

“Why not, when it’s the truth?”

“Because you make it even harder for me to leave you in peace now.” He reached for a strand of her hair, and swept it out of her face, his finger brushing over her cheek in the process.

She’d never been so aware of another person’s touch.

“What if I don’t want you to leave me in peace?” she murmured.

From where she took the courage to utter such an obvious come-on, she didn’t know. Something inside her pushed her to go for what she wanted, what she craved. And she craved Patrick. Everything female in her was awakening fully for the first time in her life, and she’d never been so clear about what she needed. It was as if a veil had lifted from her eyes, allowing her to see the world with more clarity.

She inhaled Patrick’s masculine scent, letting it draw her closer. When had she turned into a woman who acted with such directness and without shame or embarrassment? She’d never been the kind of woman who found it easy to show her sexual interest in a man. She’d always been too shy for such an act, too worried that it would turn into an embarrassment. But with Patrick, it seemed different. In his presence, she felt powerful and more aware of her female attributes than ever before. Last night, she’d felt it sizzling between them, but now it was even more pronounced.

“Fallon,” he whispered, his breath ghosting over her face. “Please ask me to leave.”

“I can’t.”

Who bridged the last few inches between them, she would never be able to recollect later, because all she suddenly felt was Patrick gently kissing her, while he tilted his head to the side. He shifted her in his arms until she was sitting on his lap, her legs spread to either side of his hips, her breasts pressed to his chest. She returned his kiss with the same tenderness he lavished on her. Her fear and her tears were forgotten. Instead, heat spread inside her as if somebody had lit a match to her, setting her on fire. Yet this fire wasn’t destructive even though it engulfed her in its midst.

Patrick explored her with his tongue, stroking against hers, licking over her teeth, taking his time without rushing her. She heard his moans and felt the tender touch of his hands on her back, one sliding down to her bottom, the other cupping the back of her head. He held her there, while he deepened his kiss and nibbled on her lips. With every second, she became more aroused by his masterful kisses. And as her arousal rose, Patrick’s kisses became more demanding—as if he could feel that she was ready for more. Because she was.

Fallon suddenly shifted in his lap, pressing her core to his groin. A gasp coming from her confirmed that she felt the massive erection he sported. However, she didn’t withdraw, didn’t stop responding to his kisses, nor did she push away his hand that he now slipped onto her ass to rock her against his hard-on. Despite the layers of clothing between them, he relished the contact and feared that if they continued like this, he would climax without her even touching him. Yeah, that’s how badly he wanted her. That’s how hot she got him.

It was all his own fault. Had he not poured a good number of drops of his blood into her glass, it was doubtful that she would have responded to his advances. But with his vampire blood inside her, she was easily aroused, turning into putty in his arms. Fuck! This was bad. He knew he should stop this madness now before it went even further. But how could he stop this embrace, when it felt so good? When it helped him forget the fear he’d felt when he’d gotten the call from the hospital?

Besides, he couldn’t blame the vampire blood for everything: if Fallon wasn’t attracted to him at all, it wouldn’t have driven her into his arms. However, it definitely helped to lower or remove any inhibitions she might have otherwise had.

He tasted the salt of her tears on her lips, reminding him how vulnerable she was. But even that fact couldn’t stop him from kissing her as if his life depended on it. He’d always loved kissing a woman thoroughly before engaging in full-blown sex, bathing in the anticipation of making love. Just like he felt the anticipation now. It charged through his body, leaving no cell untouched, as he tasted her lips and her tongue. She wasn’t a shy wallflower in his arms, instead she urged him to deepen the kiss, to intensify the connection between them.

He’d hoped that she was the kind of woman who let her partner know what she expected from him. And he’d been right. Every action on her part told him what she needed: a man who allowed her to be the person she was, a man who accepted every fiber of her being, a man who didn’t judge. A man who wanted to be seduced by her. He could be all that for her, and more. Because he could also be the man to protect her, the man who could help her forget all her troubles.

Patrick ripped his lips from hers, breathing hard. “You feel so good.”

“Don’t stop,” she begged.

One look into her passion-drugged eyes, and he knew he couldn’t deny her anything.

“I won’t.”

He sank his mouth back onto hers and lifted one hand to run it along her side, before reaching her breast and capturing it in his palm. A gasp and a moan filled the room. The moan was hers, the gasp his, because he could feel that she wasn’t wearing a bra under her T-shirt, and her nipple was as hard as a pebble. Not wasting another second, he brought his hand to the hem of her shirt and slipped underneath it. Her skin was soft and warm. He trailed his hand up to her breasts, caressing them, squeezing them gently, rubbing his fingers over her nipples.

With every touch, another moan tore from her chest, and he swallowed it greedily. He loved the way she reacted to him, without inhibitions, without hesitation.

For a second, he let go of her lips. “Touch me, Fallon.”

He didn’t have to wait long for her to follow his command. Her hands went to the waistband of his pants, where she pulled his shirt free, then started to unbutton it. When she laid her palms onto his chest, intense desire shot through his entire body. He ripped his mouth from hers, and pulled on Fallon’s T-shirt, yanking it over her head.

“Fuck!” he cursed as he stared at her perfect breasts.

They were firm and plump, topped with hard, dark nipples. Impatiently, he dipped his head to one breast and sucked the nipple into his mouth. Fallon’s head fell back as she arched into his touch, pressing her breast deeper into his mouth. He licked and sucked the beautiful flesh, and inhaled her natural scent. Fallon’s moans filled the room, and he noticed how she now gripped his arms for balance, her fingernails digging into his biceps. He welcomed the sensation, and had she been a vampire female, he would have asked her to bite him so they could connect on a deeper level.

“Yes,” she cried out, her voice breathy. “So good.”

As he brought his mouth to the other breast to caress it in the same manner, he could already smell the aroma of her arousal. Her pussy was weeping for him. Holding her with one hand, he shoved his other one into her loose-fitting jogging pants, and gasped instantly. It appeared that they’d taken all of Fallon’s clothes and only given her the T-shirt and the jogging pants, no underwear.

His fingers connected with her naked sex. Her pussy was drenched in her juices, her female folds supple and welcoming.

“Oh, God, yes,” she whispered on a breath.

He lifted his head from her breasts and met her gaze. “You wanna come for me?”

“Yes…”

Their eyes locked, and he rubbed his finger along her slit, gathering the moisture that seeped from her, before drawing his finger farther up to find her clitoris. Her mouth opened, and a gasp escaped.

“There it is,” Patrick murmured, and began to rub his finger over the sensitive organ. “Kiss me, baby.”

Fallon brought her lips to his and kissed him, first by gently nibbling on his lips, then by sweeping her tongue into his mouth and exploring him. She was taking charge, and he liked that—because he was busy with something else. He painted small circles on her center of pleasure, teasing her clit with every caress. He could feel how Fallon was surrendering to him, trusting him to take care of her, to give her the pleasure she craved, all the while following her body’s subtle clues as to what gave her the most pleasure.

Again and again, he dipped his finger lower to gather more of her juices, thoroughly lubricating her clit while he fell into a faster tempo. His sensitive vampire hearing picked up her accelerated heartbeat, when she suddenly severed the kiss. A breathy gasp rolled over her lips, and he could feel her body tensing, while she closed her eyes.

Not wanting her to climax yet, he eased up on the pressure and slowed his tempo. She opened her eyes and stared at him.

“Not yet, baby,” Patrick said softly. “It feels too good.”

Before she could protest, he thrust one finger into her pussy. Fallon moaned, and her eyelashes fluttered. He followed it up with another thrust, just as deep and hard, before he withdrew his finger and swept upward to tease her clit again.

Fallon brought her face to his, her mouth to his ear. “I want your cock inside me.”

Her words sent a thrill through his body, making his cock jerk in anticipation. He was harder than he could remember ever being. It was almost painful the way his erection pressed against the zipper of his pants. But he wanted to pleasure Fallon first, because he wasn’t sure he would last long enough to make her climax once he was inside her.

“First you’ll have to come for me.”

To emphasize his words, he rubbed over her clit, back and forth, his tempo and pressure increasing. Fallon’s eyes fell shut again, and her head tipped backward, while her breath became ragged, and her heartbeat thundered in his ears as if a thousand horses raced through the flat. This time, he didn’t stop. Instead, he increased his tempo even more, recognizing the signs of Fallon’s body that she was close. Another breath, another heartbeat, and she moaned, while she shuddered beneath his touch. Not wanting to miss out on anything, he plunged his finger into her pussy, feeling her interior muscles clench and release around his digit as she climaxed.

When the spasms subsided, Fallon rested her head in the crook of his neck, sighing contentedly. His finger was still inside her, and he gently moved it in and out.

“Oh.” Fallon blew a breath against his neck.

“You feel amazing, baby,” he murmured into her ear. “Your pussy is so soft.”

“Mmm.” She dropped one hand to his pants, trying to open his fly.

“Not yet,” he said. “I’m not done with pleasuring you.”

She lifted her head to look at him. “But you just made me…”

He smiled at her hesitation. “…climax? Yes.” He locked eyes with her, while he moved his finger in her pussy in and out. “But I’m not done… see?” In a steady rhythm, he pumped in and out of her. When she relaxed in his arms, he added a second finger and slowly drove into her with both.

“Patrick! Oh…”

“See? I told you I wasn’t done yet.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I think I can make you come once more. Don’t you?”

The shrill sound of the doorbell nearly pierced his eardrum, and they both jolted. His fingers slipped from her pussy, as she stared at the door in horror.

“Oh my God! Is it Cameron?”

She jumped off his lap, her entire body visibly tensing. As she snatched her T-shirt from the floor, Patrick put his hand on her forearm.

“It’s probably Lydia,” Patrick said, quickly glancing at his watch.

“Lydia?”

“My colleague.” He’d texted her earlier to ask her to come to Fallon’s flat. He walked to the door and pressed the intercom. “Who is it?”

“It’s Lydia.”

“Come on up.”

When he walked back into the living room, Fallon was already fully dressed again. Her red cheeks were the only sign that she’d been in the throes of passion only moments earlier.

“Your shirt.”

She pointed to him, and he realized that it was open. He began buttoning it.

“What is your colleague doing here?”

“She’s going to protect you while I go back to the office to investigate Cameron.”

For a moment, he thought she would protest, but then she nodded. “Okay.”

There was a knock at the door. Patrick took Fallon’s hand and looked into her eyes. “And what just happened…” He sighed. “I would like us to continue that… if that’s what you want too.”

“Patrick, open up already!” The voice came from Lydia on the other side of the door.

He walked to it to let her enter, aware that Fallon hadn’t given him an answer yet. Maybe it was best to give her time to think things over. After all, he’d totally steamrolled her. And what was worse was that he didn’t even feel guilty about it. Because he’d never felt anything so pure as giving Fallon pleasure while holding back his own need for release. In a few hours, whatever decision she would come to wouldn’t be tainted by the effect of his blood.