Harker's Journey (8 page)

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“Close the wound with your tongue,” he instructed her. His voice was harsh and barely recognizable to himself, but his emotions were running high and his need for her was riding him hard. Both the beast and the man were ready to claim their mate. She was his now. Forever.

As soon as the wound was closed, he kissed her, licking all traces of his blood from her lips. Eagerly, her tongue dueled with his and for a moment the sheer joy of her eager acceptance filled him.

His need for her consumed him. The need to claim her in the way of his people, and thereby tie her to him forever, was all that mattered now. Lifting her off his throbbing cock, he laid her facedown on the bed. Raising her slightly so she was on her hands and knees, he mounted her from behind and pushed himself all the way inside her. With his hands wrapped tight around her waist, he widened his stance until her legs were spread wide. He reveled in his dominance of her, needing her to surrender to both him and her passion. Her hot sheath pulsed around his stiff cock and he ground his hips against her ass, pleasuring them both.

He sensed her surprise, then her acceptance, and finally her rising passion. More than anything, he wanted to reassure and comfort her, but instincts older than time were controlling him now. She was his and he had to claim her. “My woman.” His guttural words rang through the room as he pulled almost all the way out before surging deep inside her once again.

Her wet heat welcomed him and he felt her move her bottom to meet him as his cock continued to plunge deep within her. Johanna’s acquiescence fueled his passion and he lost himself in her, thrusting in and out of her welcoming body. Leaning over her, he sank his teeth in the back of her neck and tasted her blood. Her pussy clamped down hard on his dick, driving him to the very edge. He wanted to prolong the sensations, but he could feel himself coming. When it hit, his orgasm was so overwhelming that it seemed as if he was emptying his very soul 58

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into her. As he poured his seed deep inside her, he felt her muscles clamp tight around him as another orgasm enveloped her.

Aftershocks of pleasure surged through his body as he extracted his fangs, and closed the small wound on the back of her neck before collapsing on top of her. He covered her entire body with his, sheltering her with his bulk. He nibbled at the nape of her neck as he always did in her dreams. She laughed softly, but didn’t move. They lay there in a tangle of limbs and spent energy for a long time before he found the strength to withdraw from her. She moaned in protest, but he ignored it and rolled her into his arms, cuddling her tight. Hence forth, she was his for all eternity.

“What comes next?” The sound of her sleepy voice surprised him.

“What do you mean?” He pushed a stray lock of hair off her face so he could see her better, hearing the slight tremor in her voice.

“Am I like you now? A vampire?” She paused for a moment before continuing, more thoughtful now. “I don’t feel any different. Am I changed?”

“No, it’s not finished yet.” Smoothing her hair back, he kissed her lips lightly. “We will sleep at dawn and when you awake tomorrow evening it will be done. There will be some discomfort as your body adjusts itself, but I will be with you.”

“What do you mean, discomfort?” She tugged on his chest hair. “And why didn’t you mention that little detail before?”

He laughed at her spirit. “It is little when you weigh it against eternity.”

Her gaze softened and she smiled at him. “I’m woman enough to handle a little pain if it means we can be together. What we share is worth any price.”

Cris smiled as he cupped her precious face. “We will be together and I have much to teach you.”

He laughed suddenly. “You have two brothers now, you know. They are good men, but are very overbearing and will drive you absolutely crazy trying to keep you safe and protected at all times.”

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“Really!” she laughed. “I can’t wait to meet them.” He could hear the excitement in her voice and it was contagious. “How soon do you think I’ll get the chance?”

“You already did.” He gave a soft laugh at her look of surprise. “I’m not the only member of my family who can shapeshift. Those two wolves were not happy you were leaving me.”

Johanna reared back in surprise. “Those wolves were your brothers? But they attacked me.”

“No, my love. They merely wanted to keep you from leaving me. Never would they have harmed you.” Her scowl of displeasure made the corners of his mouth tilt up as he anticipated the tongue-lashing she would give his brothers. “I’m sure they will give us a few days before they come to visit, but I would not count on more than two or three at most. I’m sure they are most eager to meet you.”

Absently, he tugged her back into his arms. “First thing tomorrow evening, you must call your company and quit your job.”

“I hadn’t quite thought that far ahead yet.” Her voice was quiet as she drew circles on his chest with her index finger. “There’ll be a lot of changes in the days ahead.”

“Do not worry,” he reassured her. “You have the entire Dalakis fortune at your disposal, and your talent for business will not go unused.”

“You’d trust me to handle your fortune?” Johanna sounded totally bewildered as she raised her head to look at him.

The surprise in her voice amazed him. “Of course. You are the Dalakis bride. I am the oldest brother and you are now the matriarch of the family, such as it is.”

“What a challenge…” Johanna trailed off, lost in thought for a moment. Cris could almost see the wheels turning in that nimble brain of hers. “We’ll have to travel back to Chicago so I can close up my apartment and arrange for my things to be shipped.”

“That is no problem. I have a private plane that will take us whenever you are ready.”

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“Now why doesn’t that surprise me?” she laughed.

She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. “As the head of this family, the first thing we need to do is try and find brides for your brothers. If this family is to grow and prosper, we need children.” Her eyes widened suddenly. “How come I never got pregnant? We’ve been having unprotected sex for twelve years! Do we even have children in the conventional way?”

Cris shook as laughter welled up inside him. Unable to contain it, he laughed until tears came to his eyes. “They will love you and be terrified of you all at once.”

“Yes, well…” she trailed off looking slightly disgruntled at his laugher and embarrassed by her own exuberance.

“You are amazing.” Unable to resist her delicious flavor, he nipped at her neck for a taste. “Do not worry. Everything will come in time.” As the first drop of blood hit his tongue, he was instantly aroused again.

Johanna twined her arms around his neck and arched her hips towards him. Cris healed the small puncture mark with his tongue before kissing a path up to her mouth.

“There are many hours yet until we must seek our rest at dawn,” he murmured against her lips.

“And I bet you know just how to spend them.” Her hand glided down his chest until it captured his growing cock.

Loving the feel of her around him, he thrust his hips closer. “I can see we will agree on all things.”

She laughed. “Definitely not on all things. But certainly on the things that really matter.”

All need for talk was forgotten as they came together once again to celebrate the start of their new life together.

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Chapter Nine

Two nights later, Johanna strolled into the formal dining room. It was a monstrous room, with a large stone fireplace that currently housed a roaring blaze. A twenty-foot trestle table made of oak sat in the center of the room and was surrounded by heavily carved chairs. Cris was seated in the most ornate of the chairs at the head of the table. Johanna was finally feeling like herself again. Well, an improved version of herself. It amazed her how much keener all her senses were now. At first, it had been totally disorienting to try and sort through all the noise, but Cris had taught her how to control her superior hearing. Everything was heightened, including touch. Sex was incredible since the change. Not that she’d gotten much yesterday. She shuddered when she remembered last night. Her entire body had been burning when she’d awoken at dusk. Rolling to her side, she’d curled herself in a ball, grasping her stomach tight. It felt as if someone had set her entire body on fire. Every organ and muscle was rocked with spasms of pain. Talking had been beyond her and it had taken every ounce of her strength just to breathe.

Cris awoke immediately and wrapped his arms around her. The pressure had been too much for her poor stomach. “Sick.” She forced the word from between her lips, but Cris was already in motion.

Plucking her off the bed, he hurried into the small bathroom with her and knelt in front of the toilet. “Your body needs to purge itself of human waste.” Holding her gently, he positioned her head over the porcelain bowl. Johanna was appalled at the thought of heaving up her stomach in front of him, but in the end her stomach had its way. Unable to stop herself, Johanna was violently sick for three hours straight. Every time she threw up, Cris swore. It was so ridiculous that she would have laughed if she’d had the strength.

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When it was finally finished, her hair was plastered to her head with sweat and her entire body felt sticky and dirty. At her insistence, Cris had filled the hipbath with hot water and helped her into it. She’d found it unbearably sweet, the way he’d sat next to the tub holding her hand, while she’d allowed the hot water to clean the sickness from her body.

She felt incredibly shaky and tearful when he’d lifted her from the bath and dried her with a thick, heated towel. He’d even held her in his arms while she rinsed her mouth and cleaned her teeth. After that, he’d carried her back to bed and tucked her under the covers.

The poor man looked worse than she did and fell into bed beside her. Pulling her into his arms, he curled his body around hers and explained many of the changes in her body to her. He anticipated many of her questions, answering them before she could ask them. Eventually, she’d been unable to stay awake any longer, and they’d both slept. It was just before dawn that they‘d awakened long enough to make love before falling asleep for the day.

When she’d awakened tonight, she’d been alone in the massive bed, but she hadn’t been worried. By opening her mind and scanning the castle, she knew that Cris was in the dining room sitting at the table, waiting for her. Rising from the bed, she stretched, feeling better than she had in her entire life. Draped over the end of the bed was a beautiful long dress made of plush green velvet. She looked around, but there was no sign of her underwear and all her other clothing had been ruined and discarded. Unable to resist the luxurious dress, she’d stepped into the dress, pulling it over her hips. The sleeves were long and the bodice laced up in the front. It fit her perfectly.

Totally naked under her dress, she somehow felt more exposed than if she was truly naked. The fabric swished against her legs and the tight bodice rubbed against her breasts, causing her nipples to pucker into hungry buds. Johanna licked her lips in anticipation. Her pussy throbbed with need at the mere thought of Cris. She was 63

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hungry for her husband in more ways than one. And she did consider him her husband, even if there hadn’t been a formal ceremony yet. What they shared went far beyond a normal marriage.

She had no shoes, but her feet weren’t cold as she padded out of the room and down the hallway. Thick carpet covered the center of the stairway and Johanna enjoyed the sensation under her toes as she made her way towards the dining room. She stopped in the doorway, amazed as always that this gorgeous man belonged to her now, just as she belonged to him.

Sitting back in his massive chair at the head of the table, Cris looked every bit the lord of the manor. It struck her then that this was no pose. He was lord of this castle and had been for centuries. The thought was intimidating and arousing at the same time. He turned his head slowly and a look of pure male satisfaction glittered in his eyes when he noted what she was wearing.

His heated perusal left no doubt that he wanted to fuck her again. The man was insatiable and Johanna was quickly finding that, when it came to Cris, so was she. Taking her time, she sauntered towards him, her feet practically gliding across the stone floor until she was standing beside his chair.

Bending down, she rubbed her breasts against his shoulder as she traced the outline of his ear with her tongue. He reached for her, but she skittered backwards just out of his reach. “Good evening, my lord.”

His eyes practically glowed and she could feel the heat radiating from his massive body. “Good evening, my love. I see you found the dress.”

Johanna rubbed her hands over the bodice, lifting her breasts as she did so. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

“No, the dress is adequate.
You
are beautiful.” Cris shifted in his chair and she could see the large bulge in the front of his pants straining for release. Her man was very aroused and more than ready for her.

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Teasingly, Johanna unlaced the front of the bodice, spreading the fabric until it framed her small breasts, plumping them up and pushing them forward. His eyes never left the soft mounds as she pinched their tips. Her mouth parted on a low moan and a gush of cream coated the lips of her sex.

“Come here.”

Swinging her hips, Johanna danced away from him. “But I’m hungry.”

“So am I.” Cris pronounced each word slowly and precisely, leaving her no doubt that he was hungry for her.

Hunger rose from deep within Johanna, unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She wanted, no needed, Cris to take her now. Johanna felt her fangs growing and licked her lips. Not hesitating, she lifted herself up onto the table in front of him and raised her skirts to her waist.