A Midsummer Night's Demon

chapter Ten

Ky’s fingers closed around Lyn’s upper arms to keep her from falling. Her hands splayed across his chest, her touch burning into him like a brand. Lyn. She actually stood here with him, just like she had many times in his dreams.

However, this was no dream. This was real. Very real. His hands ran up her arms to close on her shoulders.

He held her still, struggling to understand what could have brought her here. Could she be in more danger? Had she been attacked again? Why else would she have come? He wanted answers and the woman in front of him had them.

Lyn gazed up into his eyes, a sweet expression on her attractive face. “Hi,” she squeaked.

“Hi, yourself.” Ky’s deep voice held a note of trepidation. He tried covering it with a quip. “What’s a pretty lady like you doing in a place like this?”

Okay so it wasn’t his best line ever, but at least it brought a smile to her beautiful face while he picked the pine needles from her hair.

“Thought I might go for a walk, see what kinds of interesting animals I might find,” she retorted, running the pads of her fingers over his muscular chest.

“Oh, you found an animal.”

She had chosen the correct word. He was more animal than man in that moment. The loss of her had driven most of the sanity from his mind. Being without her for two months made his inner beast crazy and standing there in front of his mate, it fought for control. He struggled to rein it in, keep it from taking what it wanted, and the fact her fingers still caressed his chest did not help.

She’d come to him, and he needed to know why. His body ached, heavy with desire for her. His muscles flexed under her touch. But he pulled himself up short, taking deep steadying breaths to calm his baser instinct. He gave her body an assessing glance to assure himself she was unharmed.

Ky’s eyes fell onto the deep scratch on her arm. Knowing the healing properties in his saliva would help, he bent to lick the wound closed. He stopped short and forced himself away from the temptation of her blood when he realized she probably did not want any reminders of his vampiric nature right now. Instead he removed his shirt and wrapped it around her arm to stay the flow of blood.

****

Lyn watched Ky’s muscles bunch and flex beneath his skin when he removed his shirt, then wrapped it around her arm. A slight wind blew, shaking water droplets from the canopy above to coat his bare chest. The tiny beads slid over his chiseled physique, flowing down to where his jean rode low on his narrow hips. Her eyes tracked a sensual trail down his body. Heat pooled low in her core, and her belly tightened. Her heartbeat raced as if a thoroughbred galloped in her chest. With every inhalation, the lace of her bra scraped against sensitive nipples.

His corrugated abs rippled with each breath, sending a tremor of temptation through her body. Her hands slid down his torso of their own volition, her fingers traced the lines of his abdomen. Ky’s hands captured hers, stilling their slow decent toward his hips.

“You’re killing me with your touches,” Ky confessed in a breathy voice. He brought her hands to his mouth, and placed a gentle kiss on each finger before scraping his teeth along her knuckles. She trembled, whether from him or the damp air she could not be sure. “Let’s go inside,” he offered, lacing his fingers with hers to lead her home.

With Ky guiding them, they made their way to his bungalow with ease. Lyn marveled at how well he could navigate in the darkness. She assumed it must be one of the benefits of being a vampire. There must be some benefits, right? Her mind raced through every movie and TV show she could remember. Her curiosity made her speak. “Ky, tell me about being a vampire.”

The door to his home opened as they approached, and Ky ushered her inside with a grand sweep of his arm.

“Well for one, we can do things with our mind.” The door swung closed behind them, untouched by his hands.

“Like open and close a door,” she commented moving into the living room.

Ky nodded. “Among other things.”

Lyn sat on the couch, her curiosity grew exponentially. “Like what else?”

“Like this.”

The sensation of Ky’s fingers gently stroking her cheek sent an electric shock zinging through her body. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her hand flew up to cover the area. She could feel the warmth of his fingers there, though he stood across the room. “How did you do that?”

“What this?” A boyish grin took his face.

Lyn jumped at the sensation of Ky’s hand massaging her rump. The sensual impression sent a wave of desire coursing through her body. “I can feel you touching me.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “You looked so adorable with that look on your face.”

“How are you doing that?”

“It’s just one of the many perks of being a vampire.”

“Tell me more. I want to know everything about being a vampire. Everything about you.” Lyn’s excitement filled the air. She couldn’t wait to have her questions answered.

A slight flutter sensation swept over her mind like a caress of butterfly’s wing, but she quickly dismissed the feeling when a stunning smile came to Ky’s handsome face. It reached the corners of his eyes, taking her breath from her lungs.

“There is a lot to tell Lyn. Where should I start?”

“How about with your full name?” she suggested, earning a genuine laugh from Ky. The sound of his deep chuckle slid over her like a gentle embrace. “I’ve given it a lot of thought. I bet I can guess your first name.”

“Go ahead.” Ky crossed his arms over his bare chest, his biceps bulging. “I bet you can’t get it right.”

“I’ll take that bet. How about this? If I guess correctly, you take me flying.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “You mean, like in an airplane?”

“No, I mean in your arms. Vampires fly. Right?”

Ky chuckled, his crossed arms bouncing on his chest. “Honey, there is a little thing called the law of gravity and even vampires can’t break it. Sorry to disappoint, but I can’t fly.”

“Hmm." She wondered what else the movies got wrong. Lyn tapped one finger on her chin while she thought of an alternative. “Fine. If I guess it correctly, you have to take me clothes shopping.” She shot him a sideways glance. “There’s nothing sexier than a man who will take a girl shopping. Oh, yeah. And no complaining about it.”

He gave her a lopsided grin. “Shopping, huh? Guess I can live with that. And if you do not guess it, what do I get?” he asked with a roguish look on his face.

“What do you want?”

“I want…” His eyes locked with hers.

“What do you want, Ky?”

“I want you.” He shifted his weight, looking rather uncomfortable.

“Me?”

Ky nodded his head slowly. “I want you to allow me the honor of…drinking from you.”

Well that answers that question, her mind thought wryly. “Will drinking from me turn me into a vampire?”

“No. That only happens in movies and books. It takes much more than drinking from you to convert you. So do we have a deal?” Ky shifted his weight, the movement a supple flow of hard muscles and sinew. “And before you answer, you should know that it can be a very intimate…pleasurable experience. For both of us. It may lead to…other things.”

Goddess help her, his voice sounded like pure velvet heat. Lyn found the play of his muscles under his skin mesmerizing. She watched in amazement as his chest moved with each heavy breath. She likened him to a predator in his prime, his ridged belly, athletic legs, and broad shoulders all spoke to her of dominance and authority. But it was his face that hypnotized her. With perfection, his black hair accented his strong facial bones and blue eyes. His shadowed jaw, made him a study in masculinity. Magnificent.

Silence met his comment while Lyn considered what he said. Was she ready for Ky to drink from her, especially if it led to them becoming lovers? She wanted a life with him. She’d come to realize she loved him. Needed him. To love someone meant you accepted them for who they were, took the good with the bad. If being with Ky included him drinking from her, then she best get used to it, because she would do anything it took to be with her mate.

“Deal.” The surprised look on his face made her laugh. “If I don’t guess your name, I’ll let you drink from me.”

Anticipation made her stomach fluttered like a swarm of a thousand dragonflies after a storm.