The Blood Bride (Blood Secrets) (13 page)

Xavier ran through lists of Masters and Mistresses he could count upon to allow him to billet nestlings. Prioritising would be important. Those with children, or the aged and infirm, would require particular care in their placement, then he could look at ways of grouping those who remained. The weight of responsibility for the care and protection of his people had never been so heavy.

Xavier let his mind drift to who could remain in the manor. Lisi, as Hope’s companion, would stay within the house, and of course a cook and one of the cleaners. Her family would be there, though he felt a frisson of disquiet, remembering the altercation with her father from earlier in the evening.

He reached forward to the button, and he began speaking to Javed about how they would enact the decisions of the Council, quickly and safely.

* * * *

The vehicle entered the drive. Trees cast dark shadows on the gravel as the powerful car pulled up smoothly. The motion woke Hope briefly. A door opened at the front and she raised weary eyes. Voices and movement pushed sleep farther from her mind, while the sensation of being lifted in a breeze roused her further. Hope blinked, to clear the mist of slumber, from her mind that had crept over her during the return journey.

“Where are we?” The words tumbled out sleepily.

“Home, sleepyhead.” Strong arms encircled her. Xavier. The scent of him filled her senses, and she felt the iron hardness of his body. Contentment filled her for an instant, before the importance of his words penetrated her foggy mind. She tensed.

“Put me down. Masters don’t carry humans into the house.” Her words were agitated and she struggled against his hold, while the last wisps fled.

“Be still, Hope. Otherwise I may drop you.” But it wasn’t censure in his voice, more amusement.

He thought carrying her was amusing? How on earth would she explain this to her parents, if they caught wind of it? Shame burnt through her. “Please put me down.” She stopped struggling, hoping he would accede, and she felt her face flame with embarrassment. Hope grasped him around the neck, pulling herself up slightly, so that she was at least able to cast furtive looks around her, about to breathe a sigh of relief, when she saw a padded slipper appear on the staircase straight ahead, followed by a leg and a dressing gown.

She closed her eyes. She knew those slippers and that dressing gown with the pink feather edging. She had actually bought it for her sister-in-law last Christmas. Hope sighed. Nothing in her life at this point was going to be easy.

She and Alexa really didn’t have anything in common, except that the woman had married her brother. And that made for strained relations, as she knew Alexa did not accept that her role in the family and the nest was lower than Hope’s.

“Hope? What are you doing? The Master shouldn’t be carrying you around.” Her face schooled into a picture of disapproval, and Hope knew the tale would be carried back to David and her mother. Yet one more infraction she would need to deal with.

“Master, allow me to help my sister back to her room.” She scurried across the floor and reached out an arm.

“Thank you, Alexa. But she will be remaining in my care.” Xavier’s voice was quiet but firm, and Hope could see a brief flash of annoyance and something else cross Alexa’s face, but once it was gone, she questioned if it was her discomfort around Alexa that had caused her to see what wasn’t there. Perhaps she was seeing problems where none existed, yet deep inside, she doubted that was quite correct.

“It’s fine, Xavier. Honestly, I can walk. Alexa, I will contact you and Mother in the morning.” She hoped the tone of her voice would settle Alexa, yet her sense of disquiet grew.

Alexa stepped back, “Fine. I’m just heading to the kitchen for a glass of warm milk. Would you like one?” She indicated down the hall and much as Hope wanted to do something—anything—to mend the fences with Alexa, now all she felt was the dragging pull of weariness. Raising a hand, she tried to hold back a yawn, but it escaped. She clapped her hand over her mouth, but the sound alerted Xavier, who pulled her closer against him.

“Come on, time you went to bed, sleepyhead.” He chuckled, and started moving again towards the specially reinforced door. Javed walked ahead of him, entered the code, then stepped out of the way for Xavier and Hope as the door swung open. They stepped over the threshold and down into the dark recesses. However, unlike last night, tonight, small lighting strips glowed at the edge of each step.

“This wasn’t here last night.” Hope wanted to bite back the inane comment, yet Xavier didn’t act like he thought it was silly.

“No, I had them installed, so that you could see as you walked down the stairs.” His thoughtfulness made her warm and gooey inside, and she sighed before impulsively shifting sideways to thank him. Her lips met his as the sense of electric surprise shot through her veins at the quick contact. He tensed, then pushed in firmly. Quick, but not hard or brutal. The feel of him left her disoriented briefly. He flicked his tongue against hers, and heat coiled in her belly. He pulled back.

“That was quite a thank you. I will have to do things like this regularly for you, I can see.” There was a grin in his voice, but beneath it lay an emotion that gave his words an edge.

Then he started moving again, while the memory of the kiss played over and over in her mind. Her dazed emotions were turbulent.

* * * *

Hope’s eyes opened once more to the shaded light of the bedside lamp. She was still clothed from the night before, in the jeans and a white blouse, but she felt crumpled and sticky. She rose slowly and made her way towards the bathroom, head aching and eyes gritty. Her body felt heavy with need. Hope stripped off her clothes, sighing as air slipped over naked curves, while she climbed into the shower stall. A quick flick of the wrists had warm water jets spraying over her body, while she tingled in every nerve.

She closed her eyes and wished he was there.

Xavier.

Then he was. Her back arched, and pushing her stomach forward the hot, corded muscles of his body at her back, resting her head against his shoulder. She felt strong hands lightly resting on the sides of her hips, kneading her flesh. Her body heated and his breath moved the hair at the back of her neck, while she arched farther, silently asking for more.

A rumbling flutter began low in her belly and she moaned. The excitement ran through her body, her breasts aching for his touch. He slid his fingers sensually towards her belly and the other angled upward towards her bare breasts and peaked nipples. She moaned low in her throat, hearing him whisper, “Hope.”

His touch was like wildfire, everywhere it went. Her body burst into flame, while she writhed against him.

He claimed her breast, lightly plucking the erect nipple between finger and thumb, playing her like a guitar. Her breath hitched in her throat.

Her knees started to buckle, but he caught her with a muscled arm, while he used his tongue to lave the side of her neck, and he closed his lips over her flesh. His elongated teeth grazed the sensitised skin he had nuzzled, then he lowered her to the cool tiles at her feet. She felt the brush against her skin, exciting her further, and she knew he could smell the scent of her arousal, musky in the steamy area.

Oh God! He had barely even touched her and she was going to explode! The tremors began…

She woke. She closed her eyes only to open them in an instant. Her heart was beating like a train, threatening to burst from her chest. She heard a rumble and the door crashed open wide. He stood there, his face chiselled like granite, eyes glinting in the low light.

“What is it? Was something in here?” His voice was as hard as his face, and she could see his hands balled by his sides, and the way he shuddered.

“No, I… I had a dream. That’s all…” What could she say?
I had a hot, sexy dream with you making love to me?
She discarded that immediately, but he sniffed. She could swear he actually sniffed the air. His eyes darkened further, and those beautiful green endless pools called to her. He jerked back slightly, then moved forward towards her on the bed. It was the movement of a hunter seeking prey, slow and determined. Her mouth dried, and she licked her lips.

“Were you asleep?” Now the pitch changed, became huskier. A half-smile lit his face, and now that need grew deep inside her.

“I just woke up.”
Evade the question. Don’t let him know
. But as quickly as the thought had come, it fled when he sat beside her on the bed, the slight dip rolling her towards him. Hope wasn’t fast enough to catch herself and she tumbled against his chest. He leant forward and her body touched his.

“You dreamed of me?” Her breathing changed, became shallower, she saw awareness on his face. The question delivered, and delicious heat spiralled once more. She was aware of her own arousal, that her breasts were swollen and ready for his attention, nipples tightened and jutting against her clothing. Moisture pooled between her legs.

He leaned his head towards hers and placed his lips to hers. She opened her mouth and welcomed him in.

He moved closer to her and she melted against him. His beautiful lips moved across hers, while he invaded her mouth with his tongue and the unbearable ache grew inside her at his wonderfully spicy taste. She shifted closer, wanting to explore the heat that rose between them—needing to feel his body hard next to hers.

He kept his hands on the bed, he pushed harder and she moved backward and down to the bed covers. He reached into her hair, and the scratch of his whiskers rasped her skin. The kiss deepened, grew faster, harder and hotter than anything she had ever experienced before. She grasped his shoulder, pulling him closer. He nudged his leg between her thighs before settling. She opened for him, uncaring now that he was the Master. All that pushed her on was the need for fulfilment.

A gasp and shudder escaped, and were joined by the motion of her head moving backwards and to the side. He slid his lips over her jaw and down her neck she offered to him. He touched her thigh, then continued to glide to the spot between her legs while she let loose a cry. He cupped her through the light layers of fabric.

Xavier pulled his mouth from hers, and, at her whimper, his teeth touched the side of her neck, grazing the soft skin beneath her ear. She mewled with pleasure.

Hope bucked beneath him, needing him to caress the hidden, tender flesh. She floated in the sensual world of passion. Eyes closed, and body straining for more of his touch, she wanted so much more. Then she registered he had stopped rigid against her, his hand still covering her core, while she panted and writhed.

Xavier stood before moving away, and the need lanced through her again. A sound intruded—an insistent buzzing. Dear God! The phone was ringing. The noise was both insistent and ardour cooling.

Xavier looked back with eyes shining. “This isn’t finished.” With those gravelly words, he was gone. She could hear the sound of his voice, dim in the background, as she lay, still panting, on the bed. Her body felt tight and wired, her arousal uncomfortable. Her clothing dishevelled and her hair…

She got out of bed with jerky movements.
This shouldn’t happen. It couldn’t happen. Perhaps I should contact Cressida… No…
She had been most emphatic, and she couldn’t ask to be moved. Just the thought made her lightheaded, and she swayed for a minute as vertigo hit. This was her mess to sort out. But right now, she was still unbearably aroused, needing him and his embrace to set her free of the torture.

She headed to the bathroom, stripping her clothes off once the door was shut, hoping that a bath would help her to cope, to maybe relax, to settle the chemicals coursing through her brain.

Her body still throbbed and the movement of her bra against her peaked nipples sent another shudder through her, and she caught her breath. Stripping off damp panties gently abraded the flesh that lay below, and she had to bite back a moan. She touched her breasts, grazing them accidentally as lightning flashed through her system once more.

A bath. Bubbles and warm water may help
. She poured the mix in, breathing heavily. The scent of lillies filled the air, and the water flowed while Hope watched. She slipped into the water which lapped at her senses. The sensual feel once more roused her. She let her head sink back onto the bath cushion she had grabbed. She needed release. She needed it now. Maybe if she helped herself, and with the thought, she let her hand sink below the water and move down her body.

She cupped a breast and gently squeezed. Her body tensed in reaction, and a moan escaped. Her eyes fluttered closed as she arched backwards.

She slid a finger between the soft folds at her centre, while the lapping of the water on her other breast pushed her farther along the path of fulfilment. She circled her areola, barely touching the skin of the distended nipple, and she slipped one, then another finger within her tight wet sheath.

Seeking the release she knew she needed.

She clenched, knowing that it was a poor imitation of what she really wanted, but she urged herself on.

She rubbed in and out, and used her thumb to find that most sensitive nub, her legs as open as the tub would allow. Rubbing harder and faster, as her body undulated in the water, the lapping movement of the water splashed onto the floor, and her breathing came faster than before.