He blinked. “Run that by me again.”
Didn’t the guy see that she was fighting to hold on to her control? “Eric is an ancient vampire. One who now hates you.” Because of me. “The last thing I wanted to do was put you in danger.”
He laughed.
She glared. “I left to protect you, Apollo! I didn’t want my hell coming to your home.” But he’d followed her, and Eric would know him now.
“I don’t fear your vampire.” Ah, that cockiness was back in his voice. “He should fear me.”
Then his hands wrapped around her and pulled her against him. “Why did protecting me matter to you?”
This was the tough part. “Because…you’re special.” He’d brought her out of the sunlight. Shielded her. Healed her. “You took care of me. You gave me so much pleasure. I just…I don’t want anyone to hurt you.” Because her feelings for him were so new and confusing and it almost felt like they were ripping her apart.
“And I won’t let anyone hurt you.” His words were a vow. “Trust me, Terese. I can protect you.” His lips feathered over her jaw. “I can give you everything you need in this world.”
Her eyes closed. “I wish I’d met you months ago.” Before…
His breath blew against her skin. “I’m here now. That’s all that matters. The past is gone…”
As was her human life. She knew that. Time to pony up and deal with it.
“The future is right here.”
He raised his head and smiled down at her. Sexy dimples.
“I’m your perfect partner. You can’t kill me, no matter how much blood you take. And you can f**k me to your heart’s content.”
Terese’s heart kicked in her chest.
“But it’s only gonna be me, do you understand? From here on out, only me.” He stared down at her as his hands stroked her flesh. “You need to feed, you feed from me. You need to f**k, you f**k me.”
The idea of biting someone else filled her with revulsion. She’d tasted the sweet warmth of Apollo’s blood, a blood that was so different from Eric’s bitter bile, and even now, she hungered for more of him.
As for wanting another man…well, she’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted him. Never felt such strong passion, had such freaking amazing sex…until him.
His hands slipped beneath the bodice of her dress, and his fingers, those strong, wicked fingers, plucked her ni**les. “Terese, promise me.”
She felt her sex moisten. “Only—ah—you.”
He growled. “Right answer.” He yanked her dress down, baring her br**sts completely. “And I’ll only be with you. No one else can even f**king compare.” Then his mouth latched onto her right breast, sucking, licking, biting—
Her knees buckled. His arm caught her as she slipped and easily held her upright. “You taste so good,” he rasped against her flesh and turned his attention to her other breast. His lips closed over her plump flesh, and he sucked her breast, pulling the nipple deeply into his mouth, using his tongue, his teeth.
But this time, she wanted something…more. “Apollo…”
He pulled back and gazed into her eyes. He was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling jerkily.
“I…want to taste you.” Her admission.
He turned his head as he offered his throat.
“No.” She took a deep breath. “I want to taste you.”
Terese saw the understanding in his eyes. “I-I’ll be careful,” she promised. Sure, the fangs might put some guys off—
His hands moved to her shoulders and he pushed Terese to her knees.
—but, Apollo wasn’t your average guy.
“I like to be sucked hard,” he told her as his fingers trailed over her lips.
Her knees were on the wooden floor. Her hand still cradled his cock. Her tongue snaked out, lightly licking the thick head and sweeping away that sweet drop of moisture.
A growl built in his throat. “Open your mouth.”
She licked him again, a long, slow lick from base to head.
He shuddered.
Terese knew he wanted to control her, that he wanted to dominate, but she wasn’t going to let him. It was her turn to have the power. Her turn to control the pleasure.
Her tongue curled over the head of his arousal.
“Terese…suck my cock.”
Her lips opened over him, and she took him inside, just one inch, then she pulled back.
His hands tightened in her hair.
She smiled up at him. Then she took him inside, deep inside, and she sucked him, tight and hard.
“Oh, yes.” His eyes closed and he thrust against her mouth. “Just like that.”
Her tongue licked the underside of his cock, and she drew him even deeper into her mouth. She could feel the head of his c*ck against her throat, feel the rough, thick ridge of his flesh. Her mouth worked him, licking, sucking, and holding him tight with her cheeks and tongue.
His c*ck swelled, pulsed, and she knew his orgasm was coming. Arousal flooded her as she worked him, and her fingers trailed down her body, slipped between her legs and rubbed, pushed. There.
She could taste him already. Taste his rich, warm flavor—
“No!” He pulled back, stepping away from her.
Blinking, Terese stared up at him. Her lips were open and trembling. Her hand was buried between her legs—
His eyes widened as he gazed down at her.
She froze as she realized just what she was doing.
Before she could even blush, he grabbed her, jerked her upright, and hauled her over to the sofa. Then he was pushing her onto the cushions, shoving her dress up, and burying that thick c*ck in her sex. He thrust into her, driving deep over and over and she loved it, loved it.
Her head thrashed against the sofa. She lifted her hips, shoving against him, wanting to take him deeper, deeper—
Her legs wrapped around his hips. She moaned, a high, keening cry. “More,” she gasped, her h*ps pushing against his. “I want more.” She wanted all of him.
He tilted her hips, moving so that his c*ck pushed past her cl*t on every stroke. That rubbing, that friction, had her shuddering and begging.
So much for being in control…
But she wasn’t alone. She could tell by the frenzied thrust of h*ps against her that Apollo’s own control had broken.
Her teeth burned, and she longed to bury them in his throat, but she kept her lips closed. She’d already taken from him once that night, and for just a moment, she wanted to pretend that she was a human again, a human with her lover.
And not a vampire hungering for blood.
His c*ck stretched her and filled her sex completely. She clamped down on him, loving the feel of his flesh inside her body.
His fingers slipped between her thighs, rubbed against her swollen, sensitive core—
She screamed as her orgasm ripped through her.
Apollo was right behind her. As his body stiffened, she felt the jetting of his se**n inside of her.
Her arms locked around him, and she held him tightly, more tightly than she’d ever held anything or anyone.
Because she realized that he was coming to mean more to her than anyone ever had before…
I could love him.
* * *
His little vampiress was trying to kill him. She had to be. Trying to kill him with sheer, mind-numbing pleasure.
Apollo raised his body off hers and stared down at Terese. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted.
And she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
He kissed her, a quick, light kiss.
She blinked and slowly opened her eyes.
“Don’t go to sleep on me yet.” His c*ck was still buried in her, and her tight sex cradled him in a warm, wet grip.
“I-I wasn’t.” She stretched slightly, and her delicate inner muscles clenched around him.
His c*ck thickened. Again. He’d just pumped his seed into her, just drained his c*ck dry, but now he wanted to f**k her again.
Addicted.
“Dawn’s coming.” Her voice was soft, hushed.
Yeah, he could sense the approach of the sun.
He’d noticed there was only one small window in Terese’s place, and it was covered by a thick black curtain.
“It’s strange,” she murmured, “but I swear it’s almost like I can feel the sun rising…” She shook her head and her hair brushed against his arm. “That’s never happened before.”
Her blue eyes were so dark and deep. They reminded him of the waters off the coast of his native Delos. When a storm approached, the light blue waves turned to a midnight blue, a blue the exact color of her eyes.
He’d like to take her to Delos. Like to walk with her on the white beach as the sun shone down on them and he—
Watched her die.
Apollo closed his eyes.
“Apollo?” Her soft hand touched his cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He’d just realized how vulnerable she was. He would have to protect her, have to take extra steps to make certain she stayed safe. “We need to talk.” Rising carefully, keeping his c*ck nestled in her sex, he carried her toward the bed.
A sexy smile curved her full lips. “Oooh…I like traveling this way.”
He lowered her onto the bed and curled on top of her. “Um…the better to keep f**king you, my sweet.”
She giggled. Actually giggled. It was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard.
He was in trouble. His gaze narrowed as he stared down at her.
Her eyes were already closing as she snuggled up against him. The woman seemed to fit right into the curve of his arm.
“Will you be here when I wake up?”
He kissed her neck. “There’s nowhere else I want to be.” Truth.
Her fingers linked with his. “I was afraid.”
His body stiffened.
“When Eric changed me, and I realized what I’d become, I was afraid that I’d never be happy again.”
He was going to make Eric beg for death.
“But when I’m with you…” Her eyes were still closed and a faint smile tilted her lips. “I keep forgetting that I’m a monster.”
“You’re not.”
“I’m glad I found you in Hades.”
His lips brushed her skin once more. “Ah, sweet, don’t you realize, it was I who found you?”
But her breathing had eased and he knew that Terese was lost to him in dreams. Apollo didn’t move. Didn’t leave as he’d done with so many others over the centuries. He just held her, and realized the Fates had finally taken their vengeance on him.
In his arms, he had the one woman he wanted more than any other.
The one he could too easily destroy.
* * *
She would have to be punished.
Eric paced the confines of his room, his teeth burning and his hands clenched into fists.
The blond bastard was probably f**king her now.
Eric closed his eyes and nearly choked on his rage.
He’d found Terese, found her working in that damn gallery, painting those idiotic landscapes—those stupid rising suns. He’d found her, and he’d been the one to transform her.
Not that bastard back at her current hovel.
Terese should have stayed with him. She should have been a good little girl and taken him into her bed. She should have spent her nights showing him her love and undying gratitude for the new life he’d given her.
But, no, the stupid bitch had run. She’d waited until he’d gone to hunt, then she’d fled, disappearing into the night.
Foolish, foolish girl.
Terese wasn’t the first he’d transformed. Over the centuries, there had been others. Others that he’d chosen to gift.
Some had stayed with him, serving him night after night…until he’d tired of them. Then he’d had to kill them. But he’d made their deaths quick. Relatively painless.
A few others had been foolish like Terese. They’d fled, they’d fought, and he’d had to punish them. He’d made sure they suffered before they died. They’d deserved no courtesy from him.
Terese would have to suffer, too. He’d thought she was different. That she might finally be the one he needed most.
Pity.
He opened his eyes, but he didn’t see the room in front of him. Didn’t see the boarded windows or the makeshift bed.
He only saw her. Terese.
The whore who’d betrayed him.
Yes, she would pay.
But, first…he’d have to find a way of dealing with her new protector.
The man had been far too strong for a mere human.
Eric would take care of that bastard first, then he’d go after Terese.
He’d make sure she begged, make sure she cried and pleaded, before he gave her the sweet release of death.
And she would beg…
Chapter Five
A circle of laughing, leering men surrounded Terese.
Apollo paused inside the doorway of Hades, every muscle in his body seeming to turn to stone—and Medusa wasn’t even around.
What in the hell did Terese think she was doing?
He’d asked her to meet him there at dusk. He hadn’t thought that she’d—
Terese broke away from the circle, her hand outstretched, beckoning, to one of the guys.
Apollo’s jaw clenched.
The foolish mortal eagerly followed her—like some kind of damned dog. The mortal was a big, brawny guy with short cropped red hair and muddy brown eyes. He licked his lips as he watched Terese, and, even from across the room, Apollo could smell his lust.
Oh, hell, no. He waved his hand, parting the crowd as he stalked toward them.
He wasn’t sure what kind of game Terese thought she was playing, but there’d be no—