Blood Wolf (Vintage Collection)

“You’d really stay with me? Here in Padraig?”

“Here or anywhere else you want to go, my love.”

He grabbed her and nearly threw her into the air. “I promise you none will harm you as long as I live.”

“You’ve proven that.”

He kissed her hard. Then, “Thank God. I couldn’t bear to lose you. I don’t think I could go on.” He smoothed her tangled mass of hair. “I want to love you, mo leannan.”

“Nothing stopping you that I can see.”

“The wolf still runs through me. I’m not sure I could be…gentle with you.”

“I trust you.”

“I’m not sure I trust myself. That first night, when I found you behind the Pit with the vamps, it was the first night after the full moon. The beast was still in me. That’s why I was so persistent.”

“But you didn’t force me, Damian. You’re a man, not a beast. A very kind, gentle man.”

“Mo leannan, I wanted—”

“I know what you wanted. But you respected my wishes. Looking back, I think I fell in love with you that night. When you held me, comforted me, and let me sleep in your arms. It was clear you wanted me.” She smiled. “I felt it against my thigh all night. But you resisted. For me.”

“Do you want to know when I fell in love with you?”

“When?”

“When you looked upon my body and trusted me to look upon yours. It was then I knew, not only were you mine, but mine to love.”

“Oh, Damian.” She crushed her body to his. “Make love to me. You don’t have to be gentle. I love all of you. The man and the beast.”

“I want you more than you can imagine, but I will not hurt you. Never, while I breathe, will you be hurt again.”

“Then love me, Damian. Just love me.”

He ripped her jeans off, raised his body over hers, and thrust into her. He wasn’t gentle. He pounded into her body with a feral passion, groaning her name as he pumped. No kissing, no caressing. Just raw, untamed joining.

“Take me, Suzanne,” he roared. “Take all of me.”

He thrust and thrust, and Suzanne’s hips rose to meet him, her thighs bruising under his attack. The pounding crossed the barrier from pleasure into pain, but still she rode with him, reaching and reaching, and when the climax took her, she grabbed his bottom and forced him farther into her. “Come with me, Damian,” she said. “Come with me.”

“Aye,” he groaned, plunging into her hard. “Aye, take me, mo leannan. Make me yours.”

She felt every spasm of his release as he gave himself to her—body, heart, and soul.

They lay together afterward, not talking, simply being.

Suzanne trailed her fingers over Damian’s naked chest and relished his heavy rasps as she traced his nipples, and then his boyish chuckle as she scraped her nails down his belly to his navel, tickling him. She knew his body so intimately, what pleased him. How to make him quiver under her touch.

Finally, she spoke. “What will we do for clothes for you?”

“They’re not far from here. I managed to get most of them off before the change. And you’ll wear my shirt. I can’t let you walk around like that.” His eyes raked over her bare breasts. “Though keeping you naked certainly is an enticing thought.” He leered at her, and she swatted him, smiling.

“We’ll go get the clothes, and then—”

“Then I take you home, mo leannan. Our home. Where I can take care of you and keep you safe. We should go. Markus won’t stay out forever, and I’ve no idea when the other one will come back.”

They walked the short distance to Damian’s clothes and dressed to begin the long walk back to the castle.

“Damian,” she said, “will you help me with my—” Chills raced along her spine. Something was wrong. She turned. “Damian?”

Where had he gone? He had been behind her buttoning his jeans a minute ago.

“Damian?”

50

“He’s with me da,” said the low voice she remembered. Markus stepped from behind a tree. “I’ve nothing against you, lass, but you’ve caused an awful lot of trouble, haven’t you?”

Suzanne trembled as the vampire approached her. “Where did he take Damian?”

“Da is madder than ever. And trust me, lass, you don’t want to be around my da when he’s in a bad mood.”

“Please. You’ve got to help me. I know you’re not a”—she nearly choked—“a bad guy. Please. Let him go.”

“’It’s no longer up to me. In the meantime, I think you owe me a little taste of your sweet blood.” His fangs grew as he leaned down toward her neck.

Suzanne let out a piercing scream and squeezed her eyes shut as his teeth scratched her skin.

“That’ll be enough, Markus,” a feminine voice said.

Suzanne opened her eyes, still squinting. A beautiful dark-haired woman stood facing Markus, and next to her was Rex Donnelly from the bookshop in Padraig.