Until the Sun Falls From the Sky

  “Don’t worry, Lucien.” Her tone was cutting. “I’m sure another sweet-smelling pussy will happen along.”

  Controlling his fury by a very weak thread, he twisted. She landed on her back, him on top, his hips between her legs.

  “You haven’t listened or paid any attention to a fucking thing I’ve said or done,” he grated.

  “I haven’t missed one freaking thing!” she shouted in his face.

  “You’ve missed everything. So I’ll say it so you can understand it. I’ve been waiting to have you since I knew you existed. But I’ve been waiting for someone like you for five fucking centuries.”

  “I doubt the earth is going to crash into the sun anytime soon. You’ll get another chance.”

  Good Christ she was stubborn.

  He growled.

  “Release me,” she demanded.

  “No.”

  “Release me!” she yelled.

  “Never!” he shouted back.

  His last word made her face change. It twisted, contorting in a look of pain so raw, so severe, it caught him off guard and translated into a kindred slash of pain through his gut that was so intense he felt instant nausea.

  Which meant her fist connecting with his jaw came as a surprise.

  His head wrenched to the side on contact and he stayed that way, looking unseeing across the room.

  It didn’t hurt. She was a female mortal in a disadvantageous position on her back with him close.

  But he was a vampire.

  And concubines were meant to respect vampires.

  He gave her her head in many things because he knew what he’d bought into when he’d selected her.

  But she had just crossed the line.

  Slowly, his head turned back to her. She was panting, her heart racing, rampant fear in her scent but obstinacy and rage was in her eyes.

  “You struck me,” he said, his voice deceptively soft.

  She ignored the danger in his tone, bucked and demanded, “Get off me!”

  He did as she asked but only to sit at the side of the bed, pulling her roughly into his lap and locking her to his body with his arms.

  She struggled. “Let me go!”

  He shook her with enough force to get her attention. She stopped struggling, her eyes jerked to his and he heard her heart spike as her breath caught.

  “Right now, Leah, you’re going to learn to respect me,” he whispered.

  She opened her mouth to speak but he moved her so quickly whatever words she had died in her throat.

  He twisted her so she was facedown on the bed, her hips in his lap, ass pointed to the ceiling.

  She read his intent and reared up, screaming with terrified fury, “No!”

  Silence, he commanded, her vocal denials stopped instantly but she kept fighting.

  He thought it prudent to allow her struggles. She’d not thank him for this after and commanding her acquiescence through controlling her mind, he surmised, would be a tactical error. Silencing her cries was enough. He had enough of a battle on his hands, clearly not making any advances in the slightest, even after a head-to-head week followed by three of détente. He didn’t need her sincerely hating him instead of telling herself she did.

  He positioned one thigh over both hers and held her down to the bed with his hand in her back. She pressed, pushed and bucked but he didn’t allow her to make any progress toward freeing herself.

  Then his hand came down on her ass, sharply enough to make his point not enough to cause any real pain.

  The instant the crack of his hand against her skin filled the room, she stilled completely.

  He did this three more times. Each strike, her body jerked in response but she didn’t fight.

  The next time his hand went to her ass, it was not to strike but to soothe.

  “Do you get my point?” he asked quietly, his hand moving gently over her bottom, his gaze moving toward her head.

  Her face was buried in the comforter, her hair splayed around her shoulders, arms stretched out before her, fingers curled into a pillow.

  He watched her nod.

  Now it was time to teach her another lesson.

  His thigh lifted and as he suspected she’d do, she immediately sought escape. Moving her legs just enough to open them, his thigh descended, trapping her now-parted ones.

  He watched her head jerk back and her fingers fist into the pillow.

  He tugged down her panties, exposing her.

  No, her mind called out to him.

  Yes, sweetling, he replied.

  As his hand moved between her legs, she tried struggling but he held her down. She kept struggling as he worked her and with a swiftness that gratified him but likely mortified her, she grew wet.

  He continued working her until she dripped. Her movements turned from fighting to squirming, her hips lifting, her legs moving under his thigh, not for escape but to move further apart to give him more access.

  He allowed this and carried on, her movements, the feel of her, wet and silken, and her scent making his cock grow hard and start aching.

  With better access and weeks between orgasms her movements quickly became urgent.

  When he knew she was close, he lifted his thigh, pulled her out from beneath it and swept her panties from her legs. Then he tugged her up and settled her straddling his lap.

  Her arms immediately circled his shoulders, one hand fisting in his hair, her forehead dropping to his shoulder. Her hips moved, seeking his cock which he withheld. Considering she’d latched onto him it was unnecessary that he hold her captive with his arm around her waist but he did so. He also pressed a hand between her legs, stroking, teasing, circling, fueling the burn but not enough to relieve it.

  He released her from her silence.

  She felt it instantly and whispered with deep feeling, “I really hate you.”

  He buried his face in her neck to hide his smile.

  Even his very stubborn Leah couldn’t hate him at the same time her body moved in desperation to join with his.

  His hand drifted up her back as he rubbed himself against her.

  “Do you ever wonder at the intensity of your feeling for me, pet?” he asked her neck.

  “No,” she snapped back but her voice was breathy and her head moved back to expose more of her throat, inviting his lips, tongue or teeth, it was clearly his choice. “You’re a big, fat, vampire jerk.”

  He decided to ignore her words.

  “Do you want me to feed or do you want my cock?” He paused, pressing against her. “Or both?”

  “I hate you,” she whispered instead of answering.

  His hand moved from her waist to her breast, his thumb brushing her rock-hard nipple. She caught her breath and her heart skipped a beat. She bucked against his hand between her legs and he smelled her rush of wetness even as he felt it.

  God, she was magnificent.

  If he ever lost sight of why he was enduring this torture, he only had to remember that moment.

  Or the one where she melted against him with tenderness in her eyes.

  “Answer me, Leah.”

  “Both,” she breathed, her tone managing to be somehow defiant and defeated.

  Tonight, he decided, Leah would get what she wanted.

  And, finally, so would he.

  He moved, shifting her to her back, his hips between her legs, hers rising instantly in invitation.

  His mouth went to hers as he pressed the tip of his cock inside her.

  Tight and saturated.

  He couldn’t fucking wait to be seated to the hilt inside.

  However, before he finally gave them what they both wanted, they needed to get one thing straight.

  His eyes locked with hers.

  “I’ll not release you,” he growled. “Don’t mention it again.”

  She moved her hips against his, seeking deeper contact but didn’t answer.

  “Do you understand me?” he pushed.

  She glared at him
even as her hips pressed down.

  His hands at her waist tightened. “Leah –” he grated warningly.

  “I understand,” she whispered.

  He prepared to thrust, a thrill of desire tearing through his body but before he could follow through, her frame went solid at the same instant he heard the distant, dangerous noises.

  Her wide eyes locked with his.

  “Something’s wrong,” she breathed.

  Her understanding of this when there was no way she could hear the approaching car or the conversation of the people in it, shocked him.

  He couldn’t think of that now.

  Yes, sweetling, he spoke to her mind.

  Her limbs tensed around him in a way he thought, after what just occurred, was strangely protective.

  You don’t want them to hear us talking? she asked.

  With great regret and a tight control on his anger at The Council’s very bad timing, he withdrew but stayed on top of her, pressing her to the bed.

  No. You’ll need to put on your pajamas. With what happens next, I want you to take your cues from me. They come in, don’t speak unless they speak to you. Be very careful of your answers if they ask you questions and tell them as little as you can. He studied her a moment and then finished, If you sense something’s wrong, go with your instinct.

  Her body trembled beneath him. Her heart was still racing but now for a different reason.

  Who are they?

  You’ll be safe.

  Who are they?

  No time for questions, sweetheart, you must trust me.

  Lucien…

  His hands went from her hips to frame her face and he looked into her eyes.

  Trust me, Leah.

  She stared. She swallowed. He watched as her face worked then her eyes flashed.

  He knew, with grave disappointment, what her answer would be before she spoke it to his brain.

  However, he was wrong.

  Achingly sweetly, she whispered hesitantly, Okay.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The Menace

  Before I could blink, Lucien and I were in the dressing room

  He’d tagged my underwear during his dash and when he set me on my feet he handed them to me.

  The doorbell rang.

  Without a word I began dressing swiftly.

  There were a number of things to think about.

  One being the fact that I punched him.

  I’d never hit anyone in my life and I wasn’t proud of it, not even a little bit. I had a bad temper but I’d never been moved to violence. Even if he was a big, bad, strong vampire who surely could take it and arguably deserved it, there was no excuse.

  Of course, he had declared he’d never let me go which was a total, complete, utter and very, very, very vicious lie.

  But still.

  Another was the fact that he’d spanked me.

  Spanked me.

  Like I was a naughty child.

  Well, not exactly like that but still!

  And he did this while doing his mind control business.

  It was so mortifying it was a wonder I could move at all and wasn’t literally petrified. Especially coupled with the fact that he’d gone straight from the spanking right to playing my body against me yet a-freaking-gain.

  And I couldn’t fight it. I wanted to. My brain screamed at me to especially after the spanking which, during it, even though his strikes caused little pain to anything but my pride, I’d felt something break in me. Something integral to all that was me, Leah Buchanan, one in the centuries-old line of strong, independent concubines (if Lucien’s word was anything to go by). And there was something in the way that it broke I knew that it could never be mended.

  The weird thing was, I didn’t mind. Not in the slightest. It was as if it was meant to be.

  It was as if it had been built solely for the purpose of it existing for when Lucien would break it.

  Now how blinkety blank freaky was that?

  But I couldn’t think of any of that now.

  Not now when danger was at the door.

  Bad danger. The worst.

  So much the worst it wasn’t danger, it was menace.

  I felt it crawling, disquieting, threatening, evil, through the very air. To say it made me uneasy was a humongous understatement.

  I didn’t know how I understood this. I didn’t even know what I understood. I just knew I understood it.

  And what I understood was, if this didn’t go well, my life would be over.

  And I also understood that the only thing standing between me and that menace was Lucien.

  He’d keep me safe. Regardless of and contradictory to the scene I’d just endured at his hands, I knew to the depth of my soul that he’d do everything in his substantial power to stand between me and whatever was at the door.

  Or he would die trying.

  This shook me worst of all.

  But I didn’t hesitate. I put on pajamas and for good measure my robe, yanking the belt tightly. Then I turned to him, seeing he was waiting for me with his pajama bottoms on.

  The doorbell rang again.

  My heart raced.

  Settle, sweetling. His voice sounded in my head as he lifted his hand toward me.

  Without hesitation, I walked to him, sliding my hand in his, his eyes keeping mine captive while I did this.

  The moment his long fingers closed around my hand dwarfing it, I felt my heart settle and I saw his face gentle.

  That’s it. His voice, edged with pride, sounded encouragingly in my mind.

  We walked together slowly, hand-in-hand to the front door. The bell sounded again as we walked.

  He positioned me, his eyes caught mine in the dark and he placed his hand on my cheek not letting go of my other one.

  Your cues come from me, yes? he asked, I nodded and he gave me a reassuring smile coupled with a squeeze of my hand.

  Then he let me go and moved away to switch on the light. Then he opened the door and stood strong in its frame, barring the way to whoever was out there.

  I was behind the door. I couldn’t see who was there and they couldn’t see me. Lucien spoke and he did it in a way that provided me with the information I needed without letting on to our visitors he was doing so.

  “Rudolf, Cristiano, Marcello,” he drawled, his voice sounding amused. “They sent three of you?”

  “My profound apologies, Lucien,” a heavily accented, definitely uncomfortable voice replied. “I know it’s very late but unfortunately we’re here to ask you to come with us.”

  What?

  Why?

  I held my breath.

  “This can’t wait until morning?” Lucien returned.

  “No.” Another accented voice, not uncomfortable but hostile, now sounded. “The Council waited for you to come to them. Now, matters have arisen and they will wait no longer.”

  Lucien was silent, considering this.

  “Please, Lucien, don’t make this difficult. It shouldn’t take long.” The first voice urged.

  All amusement was gone when Lucien spoke again. “This does not make me happy, Rudolf.”

  “Don’t tell us. Tell The Council,” the hostile voice retorted.

  Lucien’s body changed like it did when Katrina came to visit. The muscles stood out, defined, deadly. I didn’t take this as a good sign.

  “Marcello,” a third voice, also accented, said the name as a warning.

  There seemed to be some kind of standoff happening. I could only see Lucien’s half of it but I felt it and it scared the freaking heck out of me.

  Finally, Lucien’s body relaxed, he stepped back, opening the door wider, his voice now courteous. “Wait inside. I’ll be a moment.”

  His eyes cut to me. I read his intent and moved to him. His arm curled around my waist, shifting us back so the three, large vampires could fill the foyer. Two were dark, both looking Latin or Italian or something. One was fair. All were gorgeous.

  My heart skipped a b
eat.

  The fair one closed the door then turned which meant all of them were staring at me. I pressed into Lucien’s side.

  “Leah, this is Rudolf, Marcello and Cristiano,” Lucien introduced, indicating each with his hand. Rudolf was the fair one.

  I nodded and gave a lame wave.

  Cristiano and Rudolf smiled. Marcello scowled.

  “It’s a long awaited pleasure, Leah,” Rudolf murmured, his eyes calm and gentle on me. I suspected his words held greater meaning because Marcello’s scowl deepened. At the same time Cristiano’s smile widened.

  “Thank you.” My voice was soft and breathy and something changed in the room when I spoke. It was powerful, electric, weirdly both dangerous and seductive and it was emanating from all three.

  “We won’t be a moment.” Lucien’s voice cut through the thickened air and he started to move us away.

  “Leah’s to wait here,” Marcello announced, Lucien stopped and his eyes sliced to the vampire.

  “Leah will come with me,” Lucien replied.

  Marcello’s gaze moved to me, raking me from top-to-toe and something about the way he did this freaked me out. I didn’t know how but I sensed Rudolf and Cristiano tense and I felt Lucien’s body change to that freakishly scary alertness of moments before.

  “Leah will stay,” Marcello declared.

  Lucien didn’t reply; he moved us toward the stairs.

  Before we even got close suddenly Lucien was gone from my side.

  I knew why. I’d only caught a flash of it but I saw Marcello dart forward, his arm extended toward me. Then there was a blur of bodies and Marcello was against the wall in a poof of broken plaster (boy, Edwina was going to be ticked, she’d just had the damage from the last vampire fight in the foyer repaired).

  Lucien held him like he did Katrina, at the throat but his body was close, pressing Marcello against the wall, his face not an inch from the other vampire’s. I could only see their profiles but the expression on Lucien’s was ferocious.

  Cristiano got close to their sides as Rudolf circled.

  “You’d touch what’s mine?” Lucien ground out in a voice so sinister, a chill raced up my spine.

  “Marcello,” Cristiano murmured in soft reprimand and I found his accented voice beautiful even in this tense situation. “You know better, my friend.”