Hydromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 4)

Adel’s whimpers turned louder. She pressed her knees together when the moaning reached a crescendo. Maya didn’t need Tim to tell her the pretty blonde was coming from the mere sensation of his teeth on her skin.

When Tim had his fill, he pulled out slowly, inviting a protesting sound from Adel. Trembles ran over her body as he licked the two small piercings his teeth had left. By the time he let up, the red dots were almost imperceptible.

Adel looked spent.

Tim turned Adel’s face gently. “Open your eyes, sweetheart.”

The young woman’s eyelids fluttered and then lifted. Passion-drenched blue eyes stared back at him.

“That’s it. Well done, honey.”

All her wiggling had exposed her silk panties. Chivalrously, Tim pulled down her dress. He got to his feet, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and adjusted his hard-on. His face was glowing, his paleness gone. He radiated vitality and strength.

“She didn’t faint,” he said to Maya, “which is a good thing.”

He walked to the door and opened it. “Lee, we’re ready for you.”

Lee must’ve been waiting just outside, because he entered immediately with a glass of clear liquid in his hand while Tim went back to Adel and helped her sit up. Lee handed the glass to Tim, glancing nervously at Maya as Tim brought the liquid to Adel’s lips.

“It’s an iron enriched drink,” Tim said more to Maya than to Adel.

“What happened?” Adel asked, looking disappointed.

Tim touched her hair. “You were marvelous. Now you have to eat and rest.” He left the empty glass on the bedside table. “Lee will take you home whenever you’re ready.”

Adel regarded Tim with hopeful eyes. “Was it good?”

He smiled. “Wonderful.”

She frowned. “I can’t remember. Only that I came here to feed a vampire.” Her gaze moved between Lee and Tim. “Who did I donate blood to?”

Lee moved to Adel’s side. “To me. Do you like hamburgers? We’ve got some on the grill, and we can watch a movie. That should give you ample time to recover.”

Lee was protecting Tim and his true identity. Tim took Maya’s hand and pulled her to the door. In the frame, she stopped to look back at Adel.

“Lee will take care of her,” Tim said. “We have other things to take care of.”

He led Maya down the hall to his room and closed the door behind them. It was the room where he’d bitten her, and she was glad it wasn’t stained with Adel’s memory.

He watched her quietly for some time.

“Do you do it in here?” She couldn’t help the ache in her chest.

“No, baby girl. You know why I did that, don’t you?”

She couldn’t talk about it. She needed to be alone, to process this. “Did what?” Her shrug was meant to appear non-fazed.

“Made you watch.”

“So that I know what you’re doing every time you feed.”

“So that every time I close a door behind me and another woman, you know you have nothing to fear.”

“It got pretty hot in there.”

“She orgasmed, yes. I told you that could happen.”

“Could you smell it, her arousal?”

“Yes. I could smell she wanted me.” His tone softened. “I could also smell your hurt.”

“I’m not hurt. I understand.”

His lips tilted into a sad smile. “Now I smell your lie.”

He took a step toward her, but when he reached for her, she turned away.

“I’m going to love you gently now, Maya.”

“Believe me, being fucked by you right now is the last thing I need.”

“I know. That’s why I’m going to love you, not fuck you. I know it was hard for you, seeing my pleasure at feeding. Now you feel bruised inside, which is why I want to love you softly, until you know what I feel for you is real. You’re more than food to me. I’ve never loved another woman gently, Maya. Fuck them hard, yes. But loving, that’s all for you.”

He wrapped her up in his arms before she could object. He was tender and sweet, and when he kissed her, he wiped her jealousy away with his gentle, reassuring touches. He worshipped her body and brought her to a long, intense climax. The expression in his eyes, one she couldn’t name, made her realize he’d been right. She wouldn’t worry about his meals any longer.

Chapter 15

“You have a message from Charles,” Frida said, walking into the dining room the following morning where Maya and Tim were having breakfast. Her hair fell in curls down her back. She was wearing a lime-green jacket paired with a white blouse and skirt.

Maya was wrapped in Tim’s gown, drinking her coffee curled up in his lap, while Tim was already dressed for the office. Tim put down the newspaper he was reading and tightened his arms around Maya.

The disdain on Frida’s face was obvious as she stared at them. “He has news. I thought you’d want to know straight away.”