Keri Arthur - Hearts In Darkness

Amusement mixed with love ran through the link, shimmering around him, through him. He knew he should leave the spa, knew that he was risking his resolve to keep her out of his life—but right then, he didn't care. He needed her—emotionally as much as physically—and just this once, he was giving in to that need.

He began washing her again. The last time they'd made love it had been too quick, too rushed—too full of uncertainty and desperation. This time, while they still had time left to them, he would pleasure her more fully.

"Turn around and face me," he said, dropping the soap.

She did. He took her left foot in his hands, gently massaging her toes. Gradually, he worked his way up her leg, watching her amber eyes dilate with anticipation. When he touched her again, she sucked in her breath, squirming against his hand. He slid his fingers inside her, caressing her, feeling her heat, bringing her close to the brink again before pulling away.

Her need filled his mind, his body, and almost shot his control to hell. He slammed the link closed, not ready yet for this to end.

"Tease," she muttered, her breathing hot and hard.

He smiled and made his way down her right leg, then raised her foot and gently sucked on each of her toes. Her moan of pleasure ran like fire across his senses. He lowered her foot and tugged her closer.

She ran a hand down his chest and stomach, and every inch of him trembled in response. He stopped her, raising her fingers to his lips and kissing them. "This night is for you and about you," he said softly.

"Just let me love you as you deserve to be loved."

Tears glimmered in her eyes. She blinked them away, but her smile remained tremulous. "I only want to give you the same."

"I take pleasure in your pleasure. I could stay here forever and just watch you, Nikki. Let me do this."

She sighed. "I'm enjoying this way too much to say no right now."

"Good."

He began his gentle exploration again. Ran his hands down the full length of her lean body, caressed her small breasts, sucking her nipples until she was panting with need, then claimed her mouth, greedy for the taste of her.

Their minds entwined, wildfire ready to explode.

He cupped her again, slid his fingers inside her, bringing her to her climax hot and fast, until the shudders racked her body and left her limp in the water.

"Again," he said, pulling her closer. "This time with me."

"I can't," she moaned. "It's impossible."

"It's not." Nothing was impossible between them. He savaged her mouth, drowning in the heat and urgency of her kiss. Got lost in the wonder of her body, until the ache in his was a fire that burned through the link, wrapping them in heat and passion and love . I could make love to this woman every day for eternity and never tire of her.And he knew with certainty that that's exactly what he had to do.

Somehow, he had to find a way to hold her away from the danger of his work and yet keep her a part of his life. He couldn't walk away. Didn't want to walk away. He'd been a fool to even think he could.

He caught her hair, pulling her head back, kissing the long line of her neck, working his way back up to her mouth. Her breath was hot and quick against his lips. "Say it, Nikki."

"I love you." She moaned and wrapped her arms tight around his neck. "Oh God, I love you."

He plunged himself inside her, then thrust her back against the spa, plunging deep again. "Say it again."

"I love you, I love you." Her softness encased him, muscles contracting against him. He had to grit his teeth to keep from exploding.

"Again," he demanded, thrusting hard, wanting, needing, every ounce from her.

Her litany ran over him, through him, exploding glorious heat through their minds. "And I," he vowed, "will love you for eternity and never leave you."

Her climax sent him spiralling beyond control and into bliss.

"I," she said, sometime later, "have no energy to move. I think I'll sleep right here in these bubbles."

"Your skin will wrinkle like a prune. Not a good look, let me assure you." He climbed out of the spa and quickly dried himself. "Up, woman. Bed is where you belong right now."

"My legs have no bones."

He grinned. "Good loving can do that to you."

"That wasn't good. That was amazing . I've never…" she hesitated and licked her lips. For an instant, she looked like a teenager just discovering the wonders of sex. "Let's just say that it has never been that good for me."

"Then it was a first for us both." He wrapped the towel around his waist, then leaned over the side of the hot tub and grabbed her lax arm, tugging her toward the edge.

She raised her eyebrows and made no move to get out. "I find that hard to believe. In three hundred and eighty years you must have had some good sex."

He forced a note of severity into his voice. "Three hundred and sixty, not three hundred and eighty, thank you very much."

Her grin widened. "What's twenty years when you're that old? And you didn't answer my question."

"I have had good sex. But I've never had sex that could so completely blow my mind as well as my body. Amazing, as you said."

She studied him for a second, her eyes amber slits of contentment. "What about Elizabeth?"

If she at all worried that Elizabeth might yet usurp her position in his heart, then it didn't show—in her voice or her thoughts. Still, he owed her the truth.

He sat down on the edge of the spa and tucked the wet strands of her hair behind her ear. "I gave up life to follow Elizabeth. She was my world—all I wanted at the time, and all I thought I would ever want."

Nikki frowned and looked away. He caught her chin, gently forcing her to look at him again. "But she never was, and could never be, what you are to me. You complete me, Nikki. She never could."

Her smile filled his heart and mind and stirred to life the embers of passion. "I really do love you."

He leaned forward, kissing her sweet lips. "Good. Now get your ass out of that water."

She sighed and struggled upright. He helped her out, then towelled her dry. Ignoring the rising desire to touch her more fully, he guided her into the bedroom and tucked her into bed.

"Wouldn't like to join me?" she murmured, patting the sheets next to her.

He would have liked nothing more, but there were things he had to do first. Like contact Seline. "I thought you had no bones? I can't make love to a boneless woman."

Her gaze flicked down his body and she grinned. "Parts of your body are refuting that statement."

"Parts of my body have a will of their own. Sleep Nikki. I have to contact Seline and see if she has found any information on Cordell."

"Which reminds me—I thought you said vampires could heal just about any wound inflicted on them?"

He frowned slightly. "We can. Why?"

"Cordell's in a wheelchair. I saw it when I was in Matthew's memories."

"That doesn't make much sense." Even if Cordell had broken his back at some stage, his vampire healing capacity should have fixed the wound within weeks. Unless… it must have happened before he became a vampire. As you were in life, you are in un life. If Cordell was crippled in some way before he became a vampire, he would have remained that way.

She shrugged. "I'm just reporting what I saw. Cordell was using Matthew to set up a series of electronic cash transactions."

"He's getting ready to pull out."

"It sounds like it. Though I can't understand why he'd bother transferring all this money to a charity organization in the first place if all he wanted to do was steal it himself. Why not just transfer it straight into is own accounts?"

He shrugged. "Seline said the charity looked legit. Maybe he needed to keep it that way until he'd hit all his targets and was ready to flee." He bent down and kissed her forehead. "You sleep. I have work to do."