Gabriel's Mate (18 page)

Loved?

The realization jolted him. And then it soothed him.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips, then trailed his mouth along her neck to kiss her heated skin. He smelled the enticing scent of her blood coming from her plump vein and growled. His fangs lengthened and pushed passed his lips.

He jerked away from her. No, he couldn’t bite her, couldn’t allow himself to perform the highly intimate act of drinking from his woman if she hadn’t permitted it. His, yes, he called her his, because for right now that’s what she was: his.

His gaze swept over her trembling body and the blood-red nightgown she wore. A nightgown that barely covered her to mid-thigh, the fabric so thin, he could clearly see the outline of her hard nipples sitting on top of her plump breasts. The gown’s spaghetti straps moved whenever her body twisted, and eventually they would drop from her shoulders and release the fabric covering her perfectly round globes.

Gabriel’s hand slid to those breasts and cupped one of them. It filled his hand, the hard nipple rubbing against the center of his palm. His thumb explored her, caressed her flesh through the silk and grazed her nipple.

Her tossing stopped, and she arched into his touch. Without thinking, he pulled on the fabric, dislodged the strap and freed the beautiful mound he was fondling. Her skin was soft and smooth. Dropping his head, he licked his tongue over the nipple. He realized instantly that despite her semiconscious state she felt what he was doing: her hand slid onto the back of his neck to hold him to her breast.

“Yes,” she mumbled, her voice sounding relieved as if she’d waited for a long time for this to happen. Did she want him? Did she know it was him who touched her?

Gabriel sucked the beautiful flesh deeper into his mouth and continued circling his tongue over the captured nipple while at the same time kneading her breast in his palm. He couldn’t get enough of the feel of her, the texture of her skin, the scent of it.

He felt his pants constrict as his cock rapidly pumped full with blood and went hard in anticipation. Only, it would be in vain. The message that he wouldn’t fuck her had obviously not reached his rampant cock.

He trailed his fingers down over her stomach, the thin silk bunching under her breasts. Going past her thighs he reached underneath her nightgown, reversed his travels and moved back north. When he reached the apex of her thighs, he touched her panties. Instantly, she moaned and arched her back off the bed.

Maya’s panties were soaked with her arousal, a scent so intense it nearly robbed him of all reason. Trying to tamp down his lust, he stroked his fingers against the wet fabric and clearly felt her warm female flesh underneath.

“Oh, God, Maya,” he despaired, not knowing how to hold himself back, how not to ravish her when every cell in his body screamed for him to take her.

Despite the fact that he’d promised himself not to look at her naked skin—well, he’d already broken that promise by exposing her breasts—he pulled down her panties and laid her bare. Her dark curls were trimmed in a slim bikini line, pointing down toward the core of her body. As if he needed any further directions.

His fingers followed downward and her legs immediately spread wider, inviting him to look at her, touch her, devour her. As he worked his way down her body, following the scent he would never be able to resist, her moans became more pronounced, as if she knew exactly what he was about to do—even if he didn’t.

All he’d planned was to look at her, just once, just so he had something he could remember when he was alone in his bed. But when his gaze fell onto her beautiful pussy, those glistening pink lips called to him, beckoned him to taste her.

He’d never done anything like it. He understood the concept, of course. He’d even seen it done, not just recently when he’d watched Zane in the club, but also in plenty of porn movies. But he’d never actually put his mouth to a woman’s pussy. Yet at this moment, there was no doubt in his mind that this was exactly what he craved: to eat Maya’s delectable pussy, to feast on her, drink her nectar and lick her until she came apart in his mouth.

He’d never seen the fascination other men had with it—until now. She would be at his mercy, vulnerable and spread wide, unable to escape his seeking tongue. Even if she woke while he sucked her, he wouldn’t stop. Once he started, he knew there wouldn’t be any stopping him.

Gabriel glanced back at her face. Her eyes were still closed, but her lips were parted. When he slid one finger along her wet folds, he watched as she drew her lower lip into her mouth and bit on it. He moved his finger higher and found the little hooded bundle of flesh he was looking for. The moment he circled it with his moist finger, she moaned and twisted in the sheets. Her teeth released her lip, and she panted.

“Baby, I need to do this.” He couldn’t wait any longer. With a groan he sank down between her legs and opened her pussy up with both his hands. Her flesh was pink and moist and the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. His tongue darted out and took its first tentative lick against her female flesh, lapping up the juices that oozed from her slit.

As they hit the taste buds on the back of his tongue, his body went rigid. A bolt akin to a lightning strike hit his body and vibrated through him. He shuddered.

Holy hell!

No other taste had ever filled him with such satisfaction and at the same time made him hunger for more. This was what he’d been waiting for all his life without even knowing. Everything about her was perfect.

Gabriel lifted his head and growled. He would kill anybody who dared take her away from him. And he wouldn’t stop at the gates of heaven nor hell if the Grim Reaper ripped her from his arms. Because he recognized her now: Maya was his mate. Losing her would mean losing the only chance he had at happiness.

With this knowledge, he sank his mouth back onto her core and gave her what her body so desperately needed. His mind catalogued every groove of her pussy, every fold, every ridge as he enjoyed lapping his tongue against her slit. He noticed every tiny movement she made and every breath she took.

His heart drummed in his chest.

She was a feast, and he’d never had a more sumptuous buffet spread out only for him to indulge in. Without haste he devoured her, nibbled on her soft flesh, licked and sucked her heated skin. He watched for every reaction from her, every moan, every sigh.

His hands slipped underneath her ass to tilt her upwards so he could drive his tongue into her tight channel.

“Oh!” he heard her moan and wondered whether she was conscious. He didn’t want to think of it, because he wouldn’t be able to stop now, even if she begged him to. Or would she beg him to continue?

Determined to give her the ultimate pleasure, he fucked his tongue in and out of her pussy, then alternated it with licking her clit. The little bundle of flesh was engorged and erect. Every time he flicked his tongue against it, her body trembled. Gabriel sensed that she was close, and even though he didn’t want this to end, he knew what he had to do.

He slipped a finger into her wet folds and felt her muscles grip him tightly. He growled. If only it was his cock sheathing itself in her. With his mouth he sucked her clit and pulled it between his lips, pressing them together tightly.

Maya’s body shook. He felt the spasms in her pussy clench his finger and the waves lap against his lips as her climax rocked through her. Her scream was the purest sound of release he’d ever heard.

Gabriel kept his mouth surrounding her clit and licked against it gently as she rode out her orgasm.

***

Maya felt the waves of pleasure course through her body and greeted the release they brought with them. The heat in her body dissipated, and for the first time in hours she could breathe. As she took a long deep breath, her nostrils flared. At the same time, she noticed the heaviness on her groin and someone’s hot breath on her pussy.

Her eyes flew open.

There, between her spread legs, Gabriel’s mouth was centered over her still-throbbing clit, and his tongue still stroked against it, threatening to ignite her once more.

“Gabriel.”

As if stung by a hornet, his head reared up, and his gaze collided with hers. She’d never seen him like this. His eyes were dark with passion and his lips raw and moist from her juices. He’d sucked her while she’d been unconscious. She should feel violated, embarrassed at least, but strangely no such thoughts took hold. Was she turning into a completely wanton creature now that she was a vampire?

“Maya, I can explain.” His voice was laced with guilt and regret. She didn’t understand it. She watched him shift his position and climb up the bed to sit next to her as his hand quickly pulled on her nightdress to cover her nakedness with the fabric.

She noticed now how nervous he was as if he’d gotten caught doing something he shouldn’t be doing. Well, she
had
caught him, but she didn’t mind what he’d been doing. Her only regret was that she hadn’t been awake for it.

“What were you doing?” she asked.

Gabriel ran his hand through his long hair, which was loose today—no ponytail. She liked it and felt the urge to sink her hands into the rich mane.

“I’m sorry. I had to do it. The doc and the witch, they both said …” He broke off and looked away.

Why was he avoiding her now? She gripped his chin with her hand and forced him to look at her. “Tell me what’s going on.”

He blinked. “You were in heat. The doc said you’d die if nobody satisfied you. So they decided that I should do it.” He dropped his lids and looked down.

“They?”

“Drake and the witch.”

Maya didn’t know who the witch was, but she didn’t care. What was important was that Gabriel had been forced to do this. He’d done it to save her, not because he wanted her. “They made you do it?”

He nodded. “Please believe me. I would have never taken advantage of you this way if I hadn’t feared for your life.”

Maya swallowed the lump in her throat that had risen at his words. He would have never touched her otherwise. Only because she had been in danger. So he still felt he was responsible for her—that was all. “I thank you, and I’m sorry that you were forced to do this against your will.” She steeled herself against the pain it caused her to know that he’d touched her without wanting to.

“Maya, that’s not what I meant.”

She stared at him as he looked up again.

“I wanted to do it. I wanted nothing more than to make you come with my hands and my mouth. I’d promised myself to leave you as much dignity as I could, but Maya, when I looked at you, I couldn’t help myself. I …” There was anguish in his face. She couldn’t fathom why. He’d wanted to touch her, and the knowledge of it warmed her heart. He’d felt something. He was attracted to her, just the way she was attracted to him.

“Gabriel, why are you torturing yourself?” She reached for his face and cupped her palm over his scar. He flinched as if he’d expected her to slap him.

“You’re not mad at me? You don’t hate me for it?” he asked.

Maya inched toward him. “Mad?” She tilted his face to her and pulled him closer. “No, I’m not mad. I’m only disappointed.”

She saw him swallow hard. “God, I’m sorry.”

She shook her head and smiled. “I’m only disappointed because I wasn’t conscious for it.”

Something changed in his eyes. There was a flicker of surprise in his irises and then a sharp intake of breath. “You mean …?”

Gabriel’s hand touched her cheek and his thumb stroked over her lips. She parted her lips and licked at the pad of his thumb. “Gabriel, I barely know you, but when you touch me, I feel alive. More alive than I ever was as a human.”

“When Drake told me you might die, I almost lost my mind. Maya, I don’t know what’s happening between us, but I know I need you.”

Her heart leapt at his admission. She wanted to be needed. And she wanted this proud vampire to want her. “Are you going to kiss me?”

In one swift move, his lips captured hers. She tasted herself on his tongue when he stroked against her and invaded her mouth, but the taste only added to her excitement. Gabriel wanted her. He’d shown her in one of the most intimate ways how much he wanted her, and she hadn’t even been able to consciously feel it. She would change this very quickly. This time she would be experiencing every single second of their lovemaking and not miss a thing.

His kiss was one of possession and passion. No man had ever kissed her like that, with such fervor, such determination. And yet such tenderness and reverence—as if he worshipped her. She gave herself over to the delicious feeling of being desired by a passionate man. Her entire being hummed from his kiss, and she felt herself become aroused once more.

All the pain she’d been through was forgotten. This last episode had been her worst by far. Never had she felt the fever so intensely. What had Gabriel called it? Heat? She didn’t know what he’d meant by it, but she’d sensed even in her delirium that her body had been burning. She would have to ask Drake about it later, but now she didn’t want to waste the moment.

She was in Gabriel’s arms, arms that wrapped around her back and held her to him with such fierceness she could barely breathe. It didn’t matter. She didn’t need to breathe when she could inhale his scent instead. Just like his blood, the taste of his lips was drugging. Her body responded to him so naturally, she couldn’t have pulled away from him even if she’d wanted to.

This was the man she wanted to make love to. She instinctively knew that he would be the one who could fill that gaping void that she’d always felt when having sex with other men. Nobody had ever been able to completely satisfy her cravings, nor had she even been able to truly express to anybody what she needed. She’d never felt safe enough with anybody to admit her darkest desires, but in Gabriel’s arms she felt secure and cherished.

When he released her lips, she saw him smile at her.

“We were so worried about you.”

“I get these fevers, but this time it was worse than ever before.”

He nodded. “I know.”

“You know? How?”