Bittersweet Blood (The Order #1)

She raised her head and bared the long line of her throat. Her whole body tightened, anticipating his penetration. With one fluid move, he plunged deep inside, and a fierce stab of pain shot through her. Tara threw back her head to scream as Christian sank his fangs into the soft flesh of her neck.

The scream caught in her throat. He pinned her effortlessly, and after a few minutes, the pain subsided, and she calmed. He filled her completely, but he hadn’t yet moved. As she relaxed, he shifted his hips, grinding his pelvis against her, giving her a flash of the pleasure she’d felt moments ago. The last of the pain vanished. She moaned, and he loosened his hold. His fangs were still buried deep in her vein and now she felt the slow drugging pull as he drank her blood. It tugged at places deep inside her as he started to move. The drag of his cock as he withdrew created exquisite sensations, and the push as he filled her completely stoked the fire at her core.

The mouth locked at her throat held her immobile, and she gave herself up to the sensations building inside her. Moving more easily within her as her tight muscles accustomed themselves to his invasion, his speed increased, still controlled but powerful. She wanted his lovemaking to go on forever and at the same time, she needed it to end.

He released her throat, and suddenly she could move again. He rose up above her, fierce and wild, her blood staining his fangs crimson. Withdrawing from her almost completely, he held himself poised until his muscles strained with the effort.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

She nodded, and he smiled, his eyes not leaving hers as he shoved into her hard. She gasped, but her body rose up to meet him and her legs wrapped around his waist as he drove them both over the edge. She clung to him as she exploded the second time, and still he kept moving as the orgasms rolled over her. Finally, when she could take no more he went rigid above her as his own release thundered through him.

…

Christian gazed down at the woman beneath him. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared unconscious. Had he pushed her too far? She’d seemed to be with him all the way. He stroked his tongue over the small wounds to quicken the healing, and felt for her pulse. It was strong and steady. He rolled onto his side, propped himself on one elbow, and watched her sleep. Her blond hair lay tousled, her pink lips open, her cheeks still flushed with desire.

She shifted uneasily, and he reached out a soothing hand, caressed her cheek, wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her to him. She didn’t wake, but her body snuggled into his as though it belonged there. He held her back curved into his chest, curled his arm around her, and took one sweet breast into his palm. Lowering his head, he found the soft place where her shoulder met her neck and breathed in deeply. He caught again that same whiff of sulfur overlaid by a deep rich sweetness. He’d tasted the same delicious mix in her blood and now her life source buzzed through his system like a drug.

Demon blood.

Intoxicating.

He hadn’t wanted to accept it, but the truth was impossible to deny. He could smell it on her. Taste it in her blood. It appeared that his little human was not a human after all. Or at least not completely human. Maybe there was human in there, but there was also demon, and something else that gave her a sweetness he had never before encountered.

He tightened his grip on her. He’d hated demons for so long. Devoted his life to keeping the earth free of their taint.

Now he might very well be in love with one.

The irony struck him hard. He’d never believed in love, but this must be it. He wanted to keep her close, keep her safe, lose himself in her body. He wanted to protect her from pain, and this little piece of news would cause her a whole shit load of pain. How was he supposed to tell her that her normal life would never happen?

His hand tightened on her breast, and she shifted in her sleep. He massaged her gently, grazing his palm over the nipple. It tightened to a hard nub against his hand and he took it between his finger and thumb tugging until she moaned and wriggled her warm little bottom against him. His cock hardened and his balls ached viciously. He wanted her. He couldn’t feed again yet, but he was desperate for the taste of her on his tongue.

He slipped a hand down between them, pushed between her thighs, and found her still wet, warm and slippery.

“Christian?” she whispered his name as he pushed one finger up inside her. He stroked the soft skin of her bottom then wrapped a hand around one slender thigh, lifting it to give him access. He opened her gently, and his cock slipped inside her as though it belonged there. He nuzzled her neck, grazed the skin with one razor sharp fang, and lapped at the beads of blood that welled from the wound as he moved inside her.