Pleasure Cruise (12 page)

Kira pouted her lips out slightly and let her lids dip lazily over her eyes. She knew he wouldn’t be able to resist her look. She was right, too. Braden’s body stiffened and he instantly leaned into her. But instead of the bold, exploring kiss she tried to initiate, he brushed her lips gently and pulled back. Kira blinked in surprise.

“Captain,” Braden acknowledged, his voice low. He kept a possessive arm draped around her.

“Ah, young lady.” The pudgy, green captain turned his eyes to her. “Looks like you found yourself a keeper.”

“All right,” Kira said slowly, confused. She wished the little toad man would just hop away. Her body was stirring and she was pretty sure she could convince Sir Braden to join her in a linen closet somewhere.

“Ah, don’t look so worried, my dear girl. Braden won’t drink you dry! He’s generally good about keeping the blood off the carpets as well.” The toad captain laughed. He waved his hand and wandered off into the crowd.

Kira looked at the captain’s retreating back and then to Braden. “Excuse me? I’m not following him. Was that a joke or something? Because I think he just said you were going to drink from me.”

Braden stiffened and he cleared his throat uncomfortably as he glanced around the room. Finally, his blue gaze bore into her. He leaned into her, saying softly, “I tried to tell you, love, but you didn’t want me to speak.”

“Tell me now,
love
,” Kira demanded, pulling back from his arm. The word love hardly sounded affectionate the way she spat it at him, but she didn’t care. She looked at him coldly, taking in his pale face with a growing sense of alarm.

“I’m supernatural.” His words were light, relaxed.

“What?” Kira shot, trying to fully grasp the situation and failing. “You do silly little magic tricks or something?”

“No, I’m a vamp—”

Braden didn’t get the whole word out before Kira’s body convulsed. She gagged violently, as if she would throw up on him. That’s why the night they met was so fuzzy. That’s why she’d fallen so readily into his arms. He’d mesmerized her, was
still
trying to mesmerize her. She shook her head, forcing him out of her mind so she could think clearly.

Kira gasped in horror, spitting on the floor in disgust. She’d let that monster touch her, she’d let him inside her. Without stopping to think, she ran to look for Clare. Suddenly, it was she who wanted to jump off the ship and swim for shore—or gladly die trying.

Kira scrambled up the stairs, only tripping twice in her attempt to distance herself from the vampire she’d allowed inside her. Her body still ached for his touch and her mind raced with the memory of him buried deep within her. She clasped her hand over her mouth and ran to the side of the boat, sure that she was going to be sick. Heat flashed through her body and she suddenly felt very dizzy.

She clutched desperately at the railing, not wanting to fall off the port bow. The dark ocean stretched around the boat, the churning waters slipping past the ship as it moved. In any other situation the scene would have been peaceful. The moon reflected on the water, it’s full shape causing a new tremor to wash over her. Strange things happened to supernaturals during the full moon. Seeing movement in the distance, she watched as two hairy creatures in tight little swim trunks and nothing else moved up to the exercise deck.

It would be her luck to foolishly pass out and plummet to her death on a cruise she hadn’t intended to be on. It wasn’t supposed to be a mixed cruise. No supernaturals onboard. She’d double-checked with the travel agency before signing for the package deal, afraid of this very thing happening. The woman had assured her that only humans would be on board this vessel. Kira made a mental note to kick her travel agent’s ass if she ever made it off the ship alive.

“What would make such a beautiful, passionate woman so terrified of the supernatural?” Braden’s deep voice asked from behind her.

Kira sucked in her breath, holding it, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn’t scream or jump overboard in fear. She knew she should have kept running, should have known that he would track her easily. That’s what his kind did. They tracked and hunted humans. They didn’t discriminate. They didn’t care if the human was an innocent or even just a child. No, they killed without pity or remorse.

Shaking her head slightly, she refused to answer him. A delicate whimper sounded in the back of her throat. He didn’t need to know that her parents had been slaughtered by a pack of rogue vampires or that she’d been the one to find their mutilated bodies. No, that little bit she’d keep to herself.

“So that is what happened. I had wondered. Do not blame me for the actions of others. It is wrong to lump all vampires in with the ones who caused you such pain. It is against our very code to harm the innocent. We prey on criminals and evildoers and have a steady supply of willing donors. Do not think for a moment, Kira, that I would ever harm you as they did your parents. If it is within my power, I will not rest until every last one of the monsters responsible for your family’s death is destroyed. It is my sworn duty to protect you and that is not a responsibility I take lightly.”

How dare he read her? How dare he presume that he could invade her thoughts the way she had allowed him to invade her body? She spun around to yell at him. The dizziness that threatened her senses washed over her, making her knees weaken.

There was no time to even eke out a small cry of protest as Braden’s strong, cool arms wrapped around her. He pulled her up into his chest, enfolding her within a protective embrace. His lips met hers, stopping any protest she might have uttered. His mouth was cool at first, but seemed to warm slowly as he worked against her.

Kira pressed her lips tightly together and pulled back, refusing to open her mouth to him. He fitted his full length against her body, as hard as steel. The firm line of his erection seemed almost to pulse along her stomach. All too well, her body remembered its length, its texture, and its intoxicating power. She looked into his captivating blue eyes, watching as they filled with what looked like pain a second before they began to swirl.

She beat hard against his chest, trying to hurt him. “No! No, let go of me. This can’t be happening. You’re dead. A walking corpse. I don’t want to be with you. I don’t want to be touched by you ever again. Just let me go.”

Braden tightened his hold on her and held her with his gaze. He trapped her to him, forcing her back to the rail so she couldn’t escape. Something tugged on her insides, pulling her body into a state of arousal. She knew enough about vampires to know that Braden tried to seduce her mind, to mesmerize her to his will. She couldn’t allow him to do that. She’d fight him, and then she’d get off this godforsaken bloodsuckers’ cruise if it was the last thing she did.

“You’re not going anywhere, not until we talk about this in a reasonable way,” Braden said, his lips brushing hers as he spoke, causing her lids to grow heavy. Almost instantly, her panic melted and she had an odd sense of safety. “You had no problems with me prior to finding out what I was. As I recall, you rather enjoyed fucking the ‘cabin boy’.”

“Stop it, you… undead… walking mummy. Get away from me!” Kira just knew he was using his mind tricks on her and tried to shake him off. “You’re probably some poor vampire con artist who tries to pick up women and then kills them when you get their cash.”

Braden chuckled. “Are you always this dramatic?”

“I’m not dramatic!” Kira pressed her lips tightly together, daring him to disagree.

“Hum,” he drawled disbelievingly. “I would think that you would be pleased to find out that I am no cabin boy. I am certainly no con artist searching for a meal ticket. In fact, I do not doubt that I could purchase several of these cruise ships for you this very evening and it would not make a dent in my bank account.”

“I don’t care, I—”

Braden rocked his hard cock against her, sending a shockwave of desire over her treacherous flesh and shutting her up.

Kira huffed and struggled to free herself from his strong grip. “I’d never have been with you if I’d known what you are. You did something to me, something that made me want you like that. I wouldn’t have let you touch me if I’d have known you were truly a monster.”

“You knew, Kira. Some part of you knew that I wasn’t human and liked it. I only took away your apprehension so you could act on instinct. I didn’t take away your choice. You chose me, Kira.” His gaze darkened in torment. “Besides, it is I who should be disgusted. I do not come from a line that condones mating with mortals.”

She couldn’t believe the nerve of him—making her out to be the repulsive one when he had a liquid diet and was in some bizarre state of perma-preservation. Braden snickered and she knew he listened in on her thoughts again. She focused on blocking him out. In her mind, she pictured a wall and hoped that the visual aid would help her block his mental intrusions.

Braden ran his tongue along the edge of her bottom lip, causing her lids to flutter lazily over her eyes. Kira responded with a weak moan. Her tongue found his. It was the first real kiss they’d shared. She’d needed sex so bad in the cabin that she hadn’t bothered with a kiss. She hadn’t even bothered with a name. No, she’d gone straight for the grand prize.

Braden moved his hands to the top of her leather dress. He slid one of the straps down, pulled his lips back from hers and planted a tiny kiss on her shoulder. Her feet no longer touched the deck. Braden held her as if she weighed nothing, keeping her body tight against him. Her total lack of control over the situation was terrifying. She looked around for help, for anyone, but found nothing.

“Ah, my sweet,” he murmured between soft kisses to her skin, “the others will feast upon the willing donors until dawn. We are very much alone. You have nothing to fear. I will always protect you.”

Braden’s accented words ran through to her core. Kira fought hard to regain her thoughts. She was so confused and she didn’t like it. He made her want him. He had to be using his vampire tricks to induce seduction and she was falling for it. He chuckled as he licked her collarbone.

“You are a stubborn one, aren’t you? On my word,” he murmured, “I am not using any of my powers on you, not anymore. I only did that to help you, Kira. I wanted you to see how perfect we could be together, how we were meant to be. I swear I didn’t take away your free will. I don’t wish to control you. What you are feeling for me now is normal for a mate to feel, or at least that is what I have been told. You see, you are the first, the only mate for me.”

It was Kira’s turn to laugh. She wasn’t buying his story. There was no way that someone as hot as he had been a virgin prior to meeting her.

Placing his hand in her hair, he pulled gently on it, forcing her head back more. She looked into his blue eyes and saw the faintest hint of amusement still lingered. “I did not say I was a virgin, Kira. In fact, I am far from it. You do not live as long as I have and remain celibate. Sex is one thing. Passion is another completely. I said that I had never
mated
before.”

“You’re not mated now,” she said, though a part of her knew his words were true.

“You belong to me now, Kira, or at least you will very soon. And I belong to you, for all eternity. We are mated.”

“I’m no man’s property and I certainly am no vampire’s.” Kira’s voice was stern. “I didn’t ask for you. I don’t want you. And I hate to poke holes in your logic, but humans don’t live for an eternity. You best go find someone else to fulfill your cozy little fantasy with. I don’t feel like playing house—well, crypt—with a dead guy. My life is too short, vamp boy. I’m going to go live it up—without your help. There has to be a male human aboard this vessel who wants nothing more than to have a good time.”

Braden yanked her dress down more, freeing her breasts from their confines. Kira gasped. The cool night air struck them and her nipples instantly puckered. Lifting her hands, she tried to cover herself. The challenge in his eyes stopped her. She dropped her hand to her sides and met his gaze.

Braden licked his lips, grabbing onto the rail with one hand to keep her trapped. He moved his fingers to her breast, but did not touch it. He hovered around it, teasing it with his power. Every nerve in her chest pulled to him as if he caressed her deeply. Blood rushed to his call, engorging her, making the soft globes swollen and tender. Kira moaned as cream built between her thighs.