Dracian Legacy (33 page)

“Ah, hell no,” he said.

His mouth consumed mine, and he growled with hunger. His eyelids drooped as his eyes turned a darker shade of blue, staring into me like a lost man.

Holy freaking hot.

“How can you feel so insecure? It takes every bit of concentration to control myself around you, not to kiss you every waking hour, not to touch you every second of my breathing existence.”

His breath came in short gasps. He leaned his forehead against mine and sent me an image—a very delicious image that could very well have caught my body on fire.

“That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “There’s nothing PG in my thoughts where you’re involved. You awaken the beast inside me. These feelings and dreams and fantasies… I can’t wait to make them
our
reality. To make you mine in every way.” His voice was low and husky.

“So, what’re you waiting for?”

God, I’m worse than a dog in heat!

“For the moment, you’re completely mine without any restrictions.” Before I could ask what he meant, his mouth was on mine, taking my breath away.

My mouth opened for him, welcoming him to devour me. He laid me on the bed, hovering above me. His hands and lips explored the curves of my body, caressing and teasing. He found the hem of my shirt and it soon found its place on the floor. My eyes rolled back in pleasure and a moan erupted from my throat.

I was drowning in the whirlpool of our world. I could barely breathe and everything inside my body ached to be released from the pressure as warmth pooled inside me. But I enjoyed this new aching sensation. I bucked under him, wanting to be touched more, wanting to be loved.

Want. Want. Want.

His lips left a trail of kisses on my forehead, nose, cheeks, jawline, and neck, all the way down to my navel. He sucked on the skin by my bellybutton before he went lower, kissing the skin above the waistline of my jeans. Then he came back up, leaving another trail of kisses along the way.

My hand trembled as I started exploring the hard planes of his torso under his shirt. I pulled his shirt over his shoulders and threw it on the floor beside mine. His lips ventured to areas no one ever touched, let alone kissed. Small gasps and moans escaped me. Then I felt coldness raise goose bumps across my body. I didn’t feel any part of him on me, and the emptiness made me more restless with each passing second.

I opened my eyes to find him staring back at me with intensity, releasing a million butterflies in my stomach and tingles all over my body. Blue and red ribbons of light swirled around us, illuminating the room. Axel’s eyes darkened with desire and deep need smoldered behind them. That intense need and staggering depth of longing slammed into me like a tidal wave. His lips curved up in lascivious smile.

“See something you like?” I asked, biting my lip, out of breath.

“Mmhmm…” He leaned down, kissing me before he placed his ear to my chest. I inhaled a deep breath. “I never thought the sound of your heartbeat is what would keep me alive.”

“Y-yeah?” My voice trembled.

His arm snaked around my bare waist. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

“Yes.” I wrapped my arms around him and kissed the top of his head. “So, can I ask you twenty questions?”

“Of course. Now you have nineteen left.” He teased.

“Hey!” I playfully ruffled his hair.

We spent the majority of the night in a Q&A session that went beyond the twenty questions. He answered my queries verbally and sometimes he sent images where appropriate, like his favorite places, his happy moments, and some crazy food called Alcur, a mixture of many ocean creatures put together and made into a main course. He promised it was the best food he ever tasted.

Yeah… Not so much. I was definitely off the seafood diet.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

It was Saturday night, and Axel and I decided to go to Christian’s end-of-semester party. By the time we arrived, his place was packed. The party was in full swing with blasting music, drinks, spit swapping, and couples sneaking up the stairs or behind closed doors. In the corner den, a group of guys gathered, playing video games, engrossed in some virtual death match and a colorful string of profane encouragement from their audience. A few paces to the left, half-dressed couples found an alternative use for the granite countertop while the wrestling team manned the kegs.

I waved to Pey across the living room and she smiled back with drunken eyes. What surprised me most was the people shouting and greeting Axel and plainly ignoring me like I didn’t even exist. Several others looked revolted that he was with me.

Well, just peachy.

“Hey, look who finally showed up!” Christian said, his words slurred from alcohol consumption. He pulled me into a tight hug, almost knocking us over—probably would have if Axel wasn’t supporting me. He was totally wasted.

“Easy there.” Axel put his hand on Christian’s shoulder, just shy of a threat.

“Hands off.” Christian shrugged free of Axel’s grip and gave me an onceover, pausing at my chest as he licked his lips and walked away.

Axel let out a furious snarl.

“Let him go, Axel. He’s drunk,”
I said through our connection.

His person relaxed after a beat. He sighed, a grin spreading across his features teasingly.
“ The kind of things I agree to do for you.”

I smiled back sheepishly.

“Ree-ree.” Pey came over and hugged me. I could smell the alcohol on her breath. She let go of me and gave Axel a hug, grabbing his butt.

Ohmygod. My best friend just grabbed my boyfriend’s butt!

“Uh, hey,” Axel said, laughing nervously and looking to me for support.

I shook my head, chuckling. I caught Dean staring at my hand interlaced with Axel’s.

Dean pulled Faith Lorrisk onto his lap and started kissing her—French kissing her. Hoots and whistles rose, encouraging them. I saw an empty bottle on the floor pointed toward Dean.

I suddenly remembered the kiss Dean and I had not too long ago. I started to look away when he opened his eyes daring me, while he continued kissing Faith. When time was called, Faith panted as her red, swollen lips trembled. Dean laughed out loud like it was the best joke ever.

“So, you guys joining in or what?” Hunter asked.

“No way!” I responded far too quickly.

“What she said. Besides, she’s the only one I want and I don’t need a bottle to tell me
when
to kiss her.” Axel pulled me to his chest and nuzzled my neck and kissed me gently. I was shrouded in his arms and looked up to find him grinning.

Gosh, he’s so beautiful. And he is mine.
My heart swelled in pride.

Pey tugged on my hand. “Let’s dance.”

She started swaying back and forth with her hands up in the air as we walked toward the makeshift dance floor. Pey and I had our own version of the
Napoleon Dynamite
,
Roger Rabbit
, and other self-invented moves. Soon, Landon joined, making our duo a trio. The Miley Cyrus song, “Hoedown Throwdown,” played and Pey and I got into it, jumping, twirling each other, bumping our hips and butts, all the while laughing hard.

“I’ll be back in a few. Don’t leave.”
Axel’s voice came through our connection.

“Is everything okay?”
I asked, searching for him.

“Don’t worry, baby. Have fun. I’ll be back.”

I sighed. I
felt
his lips against mine. Heat coursed through me and my head felt strangely light.

“Ohmygod!” Pey said, pointing to the stereo. “Straight Up”
by Paula Abdul rang from the speakers. “This is our song from eighth grade spirit week. We so gotta do it.”

“Now? In front of everyone?” I was thinking more along the lines of having to dance with Dean in the vicinity of Axel. That could be catastrophic. “It’s been four years. I don’t think I remember.”

“Oh, I remember,” Dean said with a mischievous smile, walking toward me.

“I don’t know about this…”

“Just like riding a bicycle, Nellie.” He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him.

Our faces were inches apart.

“I don’t remember us having to be this close,” I said, earning an impish smile from him.

A crowd gathered around us, chanting and clapping to the rhythm. I sighed. I put all other thoughts aside and let my mind flood with memories from the rehearsals. Dean was right; this was just like riding a bicycle. After a few missteps, everything was a piece of cake.

Memories were a blessing.

Tingles at the back of my head, followed by a growl in my mind, confirmed Axel watched us, with me tucked in Dean’s arms. Axel stood by the door at the entryway. I jumped off Dean and headed toward Axel, removing my black cardigan in the process.

I grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him into the crowd, walking backward, wearing a lascivious grin.

“What are you doing, angel?”
He chuckled.

I placed his hands on my waist where the hem of my peasant blouse was slightly raised and I started to move my hips against a stunned Axel. I ran my hand down his arm as I moved my other arm over my head while I continued to roll my hips. I never expressed myself so freely in public. But feeling Axel’s hands on my body was quite possibly my favorite thing in the universe. I let myself go and he responded with equal enthusiasm.

“Proving to you that I belong to you. Only you.”

“You don’t have to prove anything.”

I placed my hand at the nape of his neck and brought his lips to mine. I kissed him until he groaned, tightening his grip on my waist. Then the whole world dissolved into nothingness. My heart raced against his chest and my knees weakened. He nipped at my lower lip in response. When I pulled away, he groaned in protest. I smiled at him through my lashes, biting my lip.

“Angel.”
He sounded strained and breathless. “
I vaguely remember asking you not to do that.”

His hands trembled as he moved them up and down the curve of my waist. I let out a shaky breath. I loved the fact I could affect him like this. I turned around and brought my hands back to him. He gripped my hips and pulled my back closer to his front as I swayed to the music.

I closed my eyes, laying my head back against his chest, and moved my back against him. Axel moved his hand toward my exposed waist, then slowly slid it across my stomach and then up and down my hip. My breath got shallow and my body trembled. I really liked the way it felt. Axel froze, gripping my waist harder as my body responded with another round of trembling.

“Angel.” His warm voice danced against my sweaty neck. “We need to stop. Now.”

I didn’t know what caused the sudden change of heart. But I nodded and let him drag me off the dance floor.

Pey met us halfway to the kitchen.

“Bathroom break. Come with.” She didn’t wait for my response. I sent an apologetic half-smile to Axel as she dragged me down the hall to the half-bath.

“Holy hotness,” Pey squealed.

My thoughts were still with Axel, wondering if I upset him somehow.

“What the hell were you two doing on the dance floor?” Her eyes were full of excitement.

“Dancing.”

“Not like that,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“You guys were… I don’t know… It was something more.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to look in the mirror. I was sweating and my cheeks were flushed. As I splashed cold water on my face, Pey smacked my butt, making me squeal in surprise.

“What the hell, Pey?” I said, rubbing my butt.

She raised her eyebrow. Right, she was waiting for my response.

“We were just dancing.”

Someone banged against the door.

“No you weren’t. You guys were… I don’t know… It was like…”

The knocking started again.

“Occupied!” Pey yelled.

“See. You can’t even describe it.” I tried to convince myself.

“Because, you guys were throwing such intense sexual vibes, it was like watching you make love.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

This time when someone banged on the door, Pey threw it open, ready to unleash her wrath on the person waiting on the other side.

“What?” she snapped. Christian looked around her, staring at me, and gave a roguish smile. “Fine, it’s all yours.”

She shoved him aside and walked out. Before I could follow, he blocked my way and took a step forward. I automatically took one back, hoping to pivot around him. Something about this didn’t feel right. He closed the door behind him and locked it. The knob jiggle and then banging reverberated through the bathroom. Pey’s voice followed. I couldn’t figure out what she was saying, everything sounded muffled. Blood rushed to my ears. Then my sense of sight heightened. I could see the dust swirling around the room.

“Christian, open the damn door before I beat the shit out of you.” Pey threatened.

He didn’t respond and I was too shocked to speak. He matched my step backward and soon I was cornered against the wall.

“If I knew you could dance like that…” He pressed himself against me, placing his hands on my hips. I felt disgusted as I felt
him
against me.