Claws and Fangs Read online

  “You want to date me?” She paused, considering that. They could get to know each other. It wasn’t as if she had a social life. The idea wasn’t scary. Of course, they wouldn’t be going out to dinner, since he admitted not eating food. Maybe they could see movies together. “We could try that.”

  He turned and reached for the sword he’d removed earlier. Fear gripped her. Would he kill her for refusing to become a vampire?

  He discarded it and fiddled with the belt he’d removed, and her fear eased. There was a small pouch attached to the belt. He finally turned, holding up fur-lined handcuffs.

  The relief was short-lived when he lunged at her.

  Blaron hated to do it but he needed to convince Matty they belonged together. She cried out when he grabbed her. He was careful not to hurt her, but she put up a hell of a fight when he stripped her of her robe. He was careful not to bruise her creamy skin as he gripped her wrists, tugged her up the bed as her feet kicked at him, and secured her wrists through the bars of the headboard.

  “Asshole!” She tried to kick him in the face.

  He dodged her foot, barely, and grunted when it impacted his shoulder instead. The lass had fire, and he loved her a little more for it. His Matty was a fighter. He wouldn’t bite her; he would refrain from tasting her blood. She struggled when he released her, her hips rising from the bed, her feet flat on the mattress, and his cock hurt from the sight as she twisted and wiggled.

  He backed away and reached for the waist of his borrowed breeches. He hated the feel of them, the constricting material rubbing the crown of his straining cock. He sighed with relief as he tugged them down. He sat, yanking the damn things off his legs and tossed them to the floor. He was a kilt man. He moved onto his hands and knees at the foot of the bed, watching her wear herself out, and grinned at the curses she muttered. His lass had the mouth of a sailor when her temper was riled. He found it adorable.

  She’d learn he’d never take her by force. He’d never be a brute to her, but the cuffs were for her own good. Lethal would try to harm her if she attempted to run away, and her old life was gone. Blaron had set the hunter free after messing with his mind. Of course, memories could return if something triggered them. If so, the hunter might remember Matty, target her. She’d be in danger. He couldn’t allow that.

  No, Matty belonged with him. He just had to convince her of that. Even if meant restraining her to his bed to show her he’d never harm her. Seduction was the best way. He’d love her, show her tenderness and passion.

  “Easy, Matty my love,” he rasped. “I bring you pleasure, not pain.”

  “You’re scaring me.”

  He flinched inwardly at her words. “’Tis a wasted emotion you don’t need. I’ll never harm you. Never.”

  He tried to reach for her again but she kicked her legs at him. He pulled back, waiting for her to stop. She had fire. He’d give her that. Maybe it would be better to back off for a few minutes. He sat back on his heels at the bottom of the bed and waited.

  Chapter Six

  “Now, Matty,” he sighed. “Calm down.”

  She glared at him. “Let me go. This is your idea of convincing me you’re honorable? Stripping me and handcuffing me to a bed?”

  “It’s not perfect but it will do.”

  “Jerk. Asshole. Creep!”

  He grinned. “I’ve already heard you use more colorful terms.”

  “You’re amused?” She’d fought the restraints until she grew tired. “This isn’t funny.”

  “It’s not.” His gaze lowered down her body. “Open those pretty thighs for me and I’ll improve your mood. I won’t bite you this time and I won’t turn you during the heat of passion. You have my word as a gentleman.”

  She snorted, not willing to believe him. “You’re a vampire.”

  “I’m one who wants to pleasure you.”

  “You want my blood. You admitted to using sex to get women to allow you to feed off them.”

  He looked hurt at her words. That surprised her. Some of her anger dissipated. What if he really did have feelings for her? She felt them toward him. It was insane. They’d just met that morning, but in her defense, she’d been watching him for months. She’d been fascinated from the moment she’d glimpsed her new neighbor.

  They stared at each other until he sighed.

  “You’re more than that to me.”

  She wanted to believe him but what if he was lying? She knew next to nothing about real vampires. It was possible they went around lying to women to get them into bed for their blood. He could discard her the second he got what he wanted. “Let me go, Blaron.”

  “Give us a chance first. I will convince you or give your life back.”

  Why does it feel as though I’m making a deal with the devil? A hot, sexy one, who keeps staring at my thighs as if I’m a big kid’s meal he’s starving for. She hated how her nipples hardened, knowing it didn’t have a thing to do with the room temperature but more for what would happen if she gave him access to her pussy.

  “You’re saying if we have sex again, you’ll let me go if it doesn’t convince me to marry you?” Maybe he said that to every woman, planning on letting her go regardless. “You know that’s screwed up, right?”

  He smiled again. “I do love that term. Screwed. Up. Down. Hard. Fast. Slow.” His eyes seemed to glow. “Any way that will please you and make you scream out my name while I’m inside that tight, wonderful sheath of yours.”

  Her body wanted him, tingled from his words, and it made her a little sad. It would hurt if he were lying. She’d spent years alone, and he just seemed too good to be true.

  What if he really did want to spend his life with her? What if he wasn’t lying or just telling her what he figured she might want to hear? Worst case, he’d make love to her. She’d have the memories to live with.

  She’d keep her pride, though, if she didn’t cave to him too easily by seeming overly eager.

  “Fine. Do your worst but I’m going home afterward.” She took a deep breath. “No biting.”

  “No biting. I love a challenge, lass.”

  He reached for her and she spread her thighs at his urging. She dropped her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. No matter how good he might be at oral sex, she had to protect her heart for falling for him even more. She probably had nothing to worry about. Men had gone down on her before but it hadn’t been great. They sure hadn’t made her scream their names.

  She relaxed when the bed moved and he spread her thighs even farther apart. She glanced down, saw him sprawled out on his belly, his face inches from her pussy. He raised his arms, bracing them over her legs to hold them down. His gaze met hers and he gave her a cocky grin that showed his fangs.

  “They won’t cut you, and I’ll show you just how much you’re going to love them.”

  Fear and excitement fought for dominance. She’d kill him when he let her go if he bit her tender skin.

  He breathed on her clit, making her more aware of the vulnerable position she was in, and she pulled on the handcuffs that refused to release her wrists. The sensation of being tied and pinned to the bed had a certain amount of sexual appeal.

  He lowered his head and growled softly, a masculine sound that turned her on more. There was something almost sinful and super sexy about knowing how dangerous he could be. He nuzzled his mouth against her folds; she tensed when she felt his fangs brush her clit. They pressed tight against her skin on either side. It seemed to push the bundle of nerves closer to the tongue that teased her with a slow trace of the tip. Matty squeezed her eyes closed and her fingers wrapped around the chains of the handcuffs.

  He tortured her with flicks of his tongue over her clit until it throbbed. When he applied pressure, pushed the flat of his tongue against it to rub, she tried to buck her hips but the weight of his arms kept her down. She jerked though when he reached up, and both of his hands found her straining nipples. He pinched them between his thumbs and forefingers, rolling the taut be