Swaying Minuet

Swaying Minuet Amanda Sidhe

Book 4 in the Dominant Blood series.

Minuet has lived a thousand years and grown exhausted of a life of never-ending sameness. She stops feeding. She stops interacting with humans and vampires alike. When Nazario, a fellow vampire on a secret council of Kinsmen, tries to lure her with the release of the Final Death, the thought is very tempting. Enter the Summon Luscious, who’s not only luscious by name, but in mind, body— and in bed. And for a jaded, tired vampire, Luscious’ version of unbridled, uninhibited passion is just the tonic Minuet needs. In the deadly game of vampire politics, blood is the only currency. Either by persuasion or by fangs, Nazario wants Minuet eliminated, and only Luscious, a mere human, stands in his way.

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Swaying Minuet ISBN 9781419926563 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Swaying Minuet Copyright © 2009 Amanda Sidhe Edited by Sue-Ellen Gower Cover art by Syneca Electronic book publication December 2009 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

SWAYING MINUET

Amanda Sidhe

Swaying Minuet

Chapter One “Nothing changes, eh? Forever there is sameness,” Nazario murmured in his Italian-accented English. He gestured with his gin glass to the people milling around in the electronically illuminated town below the balcony. “Makes me wonder why we bother to linger at all.” Minuet didn’t need Nazario to add a layer to her depression. She already wore it like a cape wrapped tightly about her, numbing her further to the connection to this time. “Why must you torment me so?” No conviction laced the words she barely spoke. She could not even turn her head, knowing the truth in his eyes would overcome her. “What is there to cling to, Baroness?” His closed hand traced the delicate line of her cheek. She startled at the touch, recoiling against the railing merely two stories above the street. Life teemed below her. Why could she not feel any of it? The cold stone railing beneath her palms offered her no link to the world she saw, but was not a part of. Nazario opened his gloved hand, inches from her face. A thin chain dropped from his grasp. He kept the end of the chain pinched between his fingers, so the vial at the other end danced before her eyes. “Painless release. In the end, what more can any of us ask?” “Be gone.” Her voice barely disturbed the air it was so soft. In telling him to leave she met his timeless dark eyes. A gentle evil reflected there. “A merciful end,” he promised. The tiny vial swung innocently before her, like a hypnotist’s pendulum. “You suffered a thousand years, captive in this non-life. The Final Death is freedom.” “If I am not mistaken,” the strong timbre of Deacon’s voice shattered the moment, “the baroness asked you to leave.” 5

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Minuet slipped between Nazario and the French doors opened to the suite beyond. Deacon shrugged off his long winter coat and tossed it over the arm of the sofa. Behind him, a dark-haired man dropped a satchel on the floor and then drew an assault rifle from beneath his long coat. He flicked off the safety. A long silencer capped the muzzle. He aimed just short of Nazario’s feet. The fiction of vampire vulnerability being limited to stakes through the heart didn’t hold true in reality. The younger Offspring were nearly as vulnerable to conventional weapons, such as firearms and blades, as a human. A Kinsman as old and powerful as Nazario would not be as easy to take down, but with enough damage it could be accomplished. Nazario curled back his lips in a sneer that flashed his fangs. Deacon didn’t rise to the bait. Their standoff lasted no more than a minute before Nazario crossed to Minuet. He cupped her elbow and leaned close enough to kiss her cheek. “We shall speak again.” With a dark glare at Deacon and his human companion, Nazario brushed past them as he left. Once he was gone the human shut the door behind him and stood guard. Deacon crossed to Minuet and kissed her cheek. “Baroness, why do you listen to Nazario’s poisonous words? You know he weaves lies.” When she blinked, fragments of tears glistened from her eyelashes, blurring her sight. “I feel dead inside, Deacon,” she confessed to him. Weak, she slumped into a wingback chair. Her wrists feebly crossed over her knees. “As dead as we truly are.” “What nonsense.” Deacon closed the French doors and paced to the fireplace. He used the poker to liven the fire before adding more fuel. “You are one of the most powerful vampiresses alive. Why do you tolerate the mutterings of fools?” “One thousand years,” she sighed. “Perhaps I don’t deserve the merciful death I crave.” “Don’t test my mercy.” Deacon growled. “For I will give none to that snake who slithers around your ankles.”

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“I feel nothing.” She leaned with emotional exhaustion against the wing of her chair. “I bring death. I am death. I am dead.” “Rubbish!” Deacon flung a log onto the fire so viciously that a flurry of scarlet embers danced up the chimney. “Where is the hostess of the blood cotillions of old? Where is the bold baroness who would have plucked Nazario’s windpipe from his throat for daring to speak such blasphemies?” She said nothing, just stared past him to the fire. She lacked the emotional energy to do more. His anger simmered as he watched her. “When was the last time you fed?” Minuet thought back, but could not recall. She shrugged. “When was the last time you had sex?” He squared off with her as if he had every right to ask her such questions. Perhaps he had more right than anyone else who walked the Earth. “How long have you been keeping yourself cloistered from the life outside these doors?” She dropped her gaze to her hands. “Baroness?” He crossed to her. Deacon knelt at her feet and covered her hands with his. “Minuet?” She finally looked him in the eyes. She didn’t need to explain further. He knew. “Vampires forget that we are but humans who have had a change in circumstance. We need to connect to life as much as humans do.” Deacon frowned when she didn’t respond. At last he rose to his full height. “I am leaving my Summon with you.” He spoke loud enough so the human by the door could hear and know his duties. “Luscious is not to return home until you are well.” He collected his coat once more. Now he did address the human, the one he’d named Luscious for reasons she could imagine. “If Nazario returns, kill him. The baroness needs to feed. She needs to reconnect. Understand?” “Yes, sir.”

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Deacon left in a whirlwind of fury. Minuet would not doubt that she knew whose head he’d gone to hunt. Nazario had best have used this head start to good advantage. Once his master left, Luscious locked the door. It would hardly provide a barrier for a Kinsman if he wanted inside. Even the assault rifle was a questionable defense, given the speed and agility of a skilled vampire. Not that this human appeared easily conquered. The heavy pants and open coat didn’t disguise his muscular physique. The shirt beneath the coat practically sucked against the contours of his chest. Minuet watched him moving. There was no hesitation. No self-consciousness. He positioned the rifle on the table beside her so it aimed toward the door. Staying within reach of it, he removed his coat and dropped it on the sofa where his master’s had been minutes before. Minuet raised an eyebrow as Luscious knelt before her. The hue of his eyes was that of melted milk chocolate. Those bright eyes pierced her. “You are hungry,” he stated. “How would you feed?” She waved him off, not really wanting him to leave but too tired to deal with him. “Don’t trouble me, Summon.” One corner of his mouth quirked up. “I am no trouble for you at all.” He collected one of her feet and cradled it in his hands. The hem of her dress draped just above her ankle, the satin shimmering in a pale sea green. Luscious removed her slipper and tucked it beneath the chair. Her foot appeared even smaller and more delicate in his large hands. She’d been too depressed to bother with stockings, so nothing numbed the sensation of the massage he gave her. The pressure and friction stimulated her tired circulation, making her muscles ache in a good way. Minuet relaxed against the wing of the chair, watching Luscious do as he wished. When he’d finished warming her foot, his touch ventured beneath her skirt. As he kneaded her calf, the tingling traveled further up her leg, awakening her body in stages. He repeated the process to her other foot. The massage was unexpectedly glorious, so

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she allowed him to continue. Again he moved up under her skirt, reawakening the muscles of her calf. When she moaned softly in enjoyment, he set her foot down. Watching her face, Luscious slid himself farther between her legs so that her feet rested on either side of his knees. He rolled the skirt up, revealing more and more of her milky-white thighs. Minuet told herself that she lacked the energy to stop him, but that was not the truth. She was curious just what this audacious youth thought he could do to reawaken the woman in her after all this time. It had been easily decades since she bothered with sex. Possibly even as much as a century. And even then it had been more a routine performed out of habit than a heated tumble with a lover. His fingers trailed up the outside of her thighs and finally over her hips. He pinched the fabric of her underclothing and drew them down even without her lifting herself to aid him. His strength didn’t seem tested in the effort of lifting her slender bottom long enough to extract the protective clothing. He worked the clothing free of her feet and then left them with her shoes. “You may well be wasting your efforts, Luscious.” Minuet glided her fingers through his short hair. “I fear I lost my appetite for such activities long ago. My body is just not sensitive enough anymore.” Luscious smirked up at her. “I am not exactly old school in my approach.” He lifted one of her legs and draped it over his shoulder. He kissed the smooth flesh of her inner thigh, heating her where he touched her. As she lazily toyed with his hair, Luscious bent to her pussy. His first long lick coated the outside of her pussy lips with his silky saliva. The second one parted the lips for him, opening her pussy to him. Exhaling slowly, Minuet watched him. He certainly seemed to enjoy the task set before him. His lips sealed around her mound. The slow flick of his tongue over her clit brought it to a hard nub for him. Over and over he swirled his tongue and lips over her pussy. Minuet cupped his head as he labored, allowing herself to relax into the session. “You are certainly skillful,” she murmured. The sensation was lovely. Luscious stroked

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her thighs with his palms as he worked, ensuring that the sensations she experienced were not localized. The heat of his tongue plunged into her passage and Minuet lifted up to him. Her reaction was automatic. Her body sought to keep the beautiful feeling Luscious gave her. She was smiling at the small response he’d already managed to coax from her. Luscious pulled away just long enough to suck on the length of his middle finger. Once moistened, he penetrated her tight core with its length. Minuet squirmed as the touch found places that had not been explored in so long. “Nice,” she agreed. “Relaxing.” Luscious dipped his finger in and out as he bent to kiss her clit once more. He sucked the clit between his lips and held it firmly. As he did so his tongue flicked and swirled. He timed his finger strokes to complement his magic mouth. Watching him as he took her with his mouth and hand was arousing in itself. Her hips danced against him, seeking more pressure. A gentle, sighing orgasm flickered through her lower body. Her passage pulsed around his finger, gripping and releasing him. It lasted several long seconds, a very long time for her. With a shuddering sigh she slumped back in the chair. Luscious lifted his head. His finger slipped free of her as he watched her new contentment. “Thank you,” she murmured. “And thank Deacon for sharing you.” Luscious laughed loudly. “Oh, I am far from done, Baroness.” He rose to his feet. The press of his engorged cock was outlined inside his pants. She would be lying if she said she were not impressed. “That was not the response I’m going for. That little, quiet release.” He shook his head. “That was just to help you become comfortable with me. The real work is yet to begin.” Luscious offered her his hand. “Trust me and I promise you will not regret it.” Pushing her dress back down, Minuet sat up. Her pussy felt slick and she liked it. She was not as cold as she had been. Not so completely given over to depression. 10

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Luscious had done nice work. The thickness of his hidden cock called her attention. It might be lovely to feel it inside her. “I am intrigued. What are you suggesting?” “Allow me free rein.” He smirked a little more. “Trust me.” “Hmm.” She accepted his hand even though she was not sure what he was suggesting. So far he’d been wonderful. What more could he have to offer her? Luscious closed his hand around hers. It was strong but not overly tight. That touching of hands alone was nicer than she could have anticipated. Perhaps Deacon was right about her needing contact. She’d not expected a simple touch to be so moving. He tossed the strap of his weapon over his shoulder. Leading the way, Luscious guided her past the front door where he collected his bag. That smile of his flashed at her once more. He had a dirty mind, Minuet decided. It didn’t bother her, but it did fuel her curiosity. Once they were in the bedroom, he left the rifle propped by the door. He closed the door and locked it. The bag he left by the side of the bed. “Now we remove all this unnecessary clothing,” he joked. She could not resist but to give him a coy smile. Their smiles were that of untested lovers. He slipped his arms around her waist. Their bodies pressed together as he reached up and slid the zipper down. His cock nudged her thigh and he knew she felt it. He backed away to let the dress fall away from her. It crumpled around her feet, leaving her clothed only by her bra. He hugged her to him once more. Her hands found purchase on his hips while he unfastened the bra. As he drew the two sides across her back and down her arms, a tickling shiver cascaded through her. Her gasp gave her away. “Now for the trust part.” Luscious cupped her face. Minuet stiffened more from nervousness than from objection. Remembering to breathe, she relaxed once more. His thumbs stroked her cheeks, soothing away her hesitation. At last he bent forward and kissed her mouth. His lips were so hot against hers that she felt they melted her. Softly he kissed her. Unhurriedly. She let him coax her lips apart with his tongue. He explored her mouth with the lapping of his tongue. 11

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He kissed her better than any man had ever kissed her before. The kiss was so wonderful that at first she didn’t fully realize that he was gripping her breasts. He massaged them, further relaxing her. As she trusted him more, her body became pliable. He moved her backward, and then laid her on the bed, kissing her the entire way. With his guidance she rested her head back on the pillow. At long last their lips parted. “Perfect,” he whispered. His hands slid down from her face, down her throat, over the swells of her breasts, along her tummy, over the mound of her pussy and finally the length of her legs. Minuet shifted with the awakening pleasure of his touch. Luscious climbed off the bed and opened the bag. Minuet just relaxed on the bed while he did whatever he was going to do. He brought out fur-lined shackles. “What are you planning to do with those?” Minuet raised her eyebrows. She’d heard talk of such things being used during sex, but never ventured to ask for them. It was an interesting development, to be sure. “I am going to guarantee that I get to do a thorough job.” He closed one shackle around her wrist, moving slowly so she could object if she wanted to. Not that she wanted to. He secured her wrist by a short chain to the corner of the four-poster bed. Stroking down her body with one hand as he brought the next shackle to her feet, he secured her ankle in the same fashion. As she lightly tested the strength of the chain, Luscious rounded the foot of the bed. He clicked the shackle in place around her thin ankle, and then spread her legs wide open to attach the chain to the bedpost. Minuet trembled, exposed so openly to him. Luscious was extremely handsome. To have such a sexy man taking this much time with her gave her heart a flutter. Not to mention the aching that was arising in her pussy. Luscious dragged his hand up her body again, making sure to skim heavily over her spread pussy and the tight peak of her breast. He secured her other wrist so that she could wiggle around some, but not much else. Luscious touched her body as he circled the bed back to his bag. She lifted her head what little that she could. “You have more things in that satchel?”

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His laugh was rich. “Oh yes. I came prepared.” Luscious stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside. The muscles of his chest and tummy were perfectly toned. His boots went next, leaving only his pants, which contained the straining thickness of his cock. The very fact that he kept his pants on confused and interested Minuet. What had this sexy human in store of her? He moved with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what he was doing. From his bag Luscious retrieved a small container of a cream and a series of beads on a string. The last bead had a handle and he twisted it to produce a soft humming sound. Luscious lounged on the bed beside Minuet. “Have you experimented, Baroness?” She bit her bottom lip as she watched him dangle the beads over top of her. The last bead hovered just above her erect nipple. She shook her head. “We will have to rectify that.” Luscious let the vibrating bead touch her nipple. It danced against her flesh, sending the buzzing through her breast. “There is never any reason to become bored with sex. Just as there is no reason to become bored with life. There are too many adventures to be had.” She let out a nervous laugh. “You are a little young to have that insight, aren’t you?” Luscious winked at her. He removed the bead from her breast and then coated the entire string of beads with a generous layer of cream. On a raised elbow he peered over her thigh and down at her pussy. He positioned the string of beads so they vibrated over her clit, her opened pussy lips, and against her anus. All of Minuet’s muscles clenched as the vibration shot through her. Luscious chuckled and she had to laugh at her own reaction. “Just relax,” he murmured. “Let me take you someplace you’ve never been.” Luscious left the beads dancing against her as he climbed over her and between her legs. He massaged the insides of her thighs until Minuet relaxed into the vibration. Her body sank back into the mattress. Without lifting her head too much, she watched as 13

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Luscious removed the beads. The echo of the vibration remained. He touched her ass cheeks and spread them apart with the fingers and thumb of one hand. The first vibrating bead touched to the seal of her ass. “What are you doing?” Minuet gasped. “Teaching you about pleasure,” he murmured. “Relax. Relax. Let me show you.” Minuet laid back once more. Relaxing took concentration, but she did loosen up a bit. The bead pressed to her ass, slowly easing her open. She gasped as she tried to keep the softness of her body even as the bead widened her anus more and more. She’d seen the beads. She knew they were small, but it felt huge as it was inserted into her. When the first bead made it inside, the ring of her ass closed around it. It vibrated inside her and Minuet trembled. “Good girl.” Luscious kissed her clit. “Five more to go.” “Five?” Minuet shivered. She squirmed, nervous but excited at the same time. “Relax,” he reminded her. Minuet did as she was told. The second bead slipped inside her even easier than the first. She could feel them jiggling and bumping into each other even as the third bead was dancing against the outside of her ass. She raised her hips as Luscious pushed the next bead into her. “Oh.” Her head sank back into the pillow. She’d never felt this wonderful feeling in her ass before. She never even knew it was possible. The next and the last beads both slipped inside with little resistance. She rocked her hips from side to side, enjoying the new sensations. Luscious moved away from her and Minuet just closed her eyes. The beads were amazing. The handle remained against the outside of her ass and it hummed there, keeping her highly aware of it. So sweetly the beads danced inside her ass. Her core could feel the vibration too, but only a hint of it. Still, it encouraged the growing wetness she could feel escaping her. Something tickled against her breast. Minuet opened her eyes. The soft leather straps of a flogger danced over her breasts as he dangled it above her. The expression 14

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on his face was peaceful. There was no malice as he tickled her with the flogger. “What are you going to do with that?” “Your skin needs to be reawakened. Made more sensitive.” The tips of the flogger did just that as he ran them over her breasts and tummy. Lightly he swatted her left breast. It didn’t even sting. Back and forth Luscious swatted first one breast, and then the other, gradually increasing the pace and the intensity. Her breasts were red and alive with the heat. Luscious was right. The way he used the flogger brought her skin to a more sensitive state. She could feel even the movement of the air. She wiggled and moaned softly, enjoying the new sensitivity. She’d closed her eyes. When the flogger swatted her pussy, Minuet jumped. She dropped back down as Luscious chuckled. He flogged her open pussy. Each light flick of the leather straps made her hotter, more hungry for the growing sensations. Luscious tossed the flogger aside. “Now to take advantage of that new sensitivity,” Luscious brought out two small clamps. He pinched her left nipple, already hard and tight. He clamped the first one in place on her nipple. The pressure was amazing. Minuet writhed on the bed. “You like that?” He grinned. “Good.” He lifted her other nipple up away from her breast, increasing the pressure on it. Minuet squirmed and gasped. He clamped that nipple as well. With a touch to each clamp they began to vibrate. The tight pressure and vibration spread through her breasts and right down to her pussy. She pulled uselessly on the shackles. Luscious stroked the tingling flesh of her tightening stomach. “Easy. Relax. Don’t rush this. I have so much more for you.” Minuet nodded. She lay back, but could not hold completely still. Her body moved with the rhythm inside her pussy and through her nipples. Luscious moved between her open legs again. He sucked his lips tightly around her clit and Minuet pressed up into his mouth. The flick of his tongue brought her clit to even harder attention. He pulled back and caught the clit in a tiny clamp. She could feel how it held her clit erect. She tried to see it, but could not. Instead Luscious held up a 15

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massive dildo in the shape of a cock, with the head and veins up the side and all. He touched the base and it hummed. Her eyes widened. “Ready for this?” he asked her calmly. She nodded, vigorously. “Say it. Say, ‘fuck me with that dildo, Luscious.’ I want to hear you say it.” “You know what I want.” She squirmed. Her legs were already wide, but she spread them more. “You have to learn to ask for what you want.” “What?” She moved against the bed. The vibrations in her ass and breasts were fabulous. The perfect pressure of the clamp on her clit was drawing her desire even higher. “Tell me to fuck you with this toy,” he repeated, patiently. “Fuck me. Please, fuck me with the toy,” she gasped with growing desperation. “Good girl.” Luscious creamed the dildo and then pressed the fat head of it to her pussy entrance. With insane slowness he inserted it. It glided farther and farther inside of her, vibrating wildly. Luscious touched the clamp on her clit and it vibrated too. All that combined with the beads humming in her ass. Luscious pushed the dildo in and out of her in a steady pace. “Tell me what you want.” “Fuck me,” she writhed. He moved the dildo a bit faster. It forced her pussy open each time with wonderful pressure. “Tell me how you want this dildo to fuck you. I want to hear you tell me.” “Harder. Fuck me harder,” she pleaded. “Harder! Fuck me harder, Luscious. Fuck me so hard! Fuck me so deep!” He plunged the dildo exactly as she needed it. It wedged into her tight pussy, massaging her from the inside. The speed added to the existing vibration. Minuet wiggled as much as she could. The sensations were so much! “Fuck me! Yes! So deep!” 16

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The dildo went even farther into her soaking pussy. Minuet screamed behind clenched teeth. She came so hard she could do nothing but twist and try to escape it. Luscious wouldn’t let her. He kept pounding the dildo into her pussy harder and faster. She screamed more. Writhed more. “Take it,” he murmured. “Take it all. Don’t bail out on me.” Minuet kept screaming and trying to escape. It was so wonderful and yet overwhelming. “I can’t take it!” “Yes, you can.” Luscious kept driving the dildo into her. As she perched on the pinnacle of pleasure, Luscious drew the anal beads out of her. One by one they popped free, sending a new ripple of joy trickling through her. “Come for me. Don’t stop until you have gotten it all out.” Minuet shook her head from side to side. At last she screamed once more, one of complete release. Her pussy trembled and clenched and quivered. Luscious fucked her with the toys until she collapsed back on the bed. Her overstimulated nerves felt fried.

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Chapter Two Luscious left the dildo buried deep in her pussy. He turned off its vibration, and then turned off the beads and clamps as well. He left them all in place. Minuet flopped back on the bed, relieved and feeling amazing. Her body continued to shiver and clench from time to time as she came back down from her orgasmic high. When at last her panting breaths evened out, Luscious removed the clamps from her nipples and her clit. The dildo slid out now that she’d stopped clenching it with the muscles of her pussy. Luscious put all those toys and the flogger back into his satchel. “Are your legs and arms starting to ache?” Luscious massaged each of her legs with one hand while he snapped free the locking mechanism of each cuff. He repeated the process to free her arms. The restraints too returned to his bag of wonders. Minuet grabbed the blanket she was lying on and flung part of it over herself. She curled onto her side, watching Luscious. She was twenty years old when she was rebirthed into her vampire life. For the first time since then she felt like a naïve twentyyear-old girl again. Luscious climbed onto the bed beside her. She’d moved to give him room, but he took that opportunity to wrap his arm around her shoulders. He lay back on the pillows on his back with Minuet tucked against his side. Her head settled onto the padding of muscle on his chest. Her arm naturally draped over his chest. The tips of her fingers idly traced the paths of his muscles. She didn’t count the minutes, but he held her for an extended period, as though they had all the time in the world. As a vampire, in a sense, she did. Eternity was far from the prize she’d once thought it to be. Minuet sighed, the familiar frown drawing her thoughts back into melancholy. “You make a lovely distraction, Luscious. Unfortunately, nothing has changed. A thousand years is too long for any soul.”

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Luscious claimed her wrist. The downward spiral of her mood dissipated as she searched his face. Luscious kissed the tender flesh on the inside of her wrist. His warm brown eyes sparkled as they met hers. Watching her closely, Luscious parted his lips. He sealed them over her pulse. His hot and moist tongue laved over her flesh. The sucking was reminiscent of feeding. His teeth scraped lightly as he teased and tasted. Tingling flowed from where his mouth touched her and traveled in spiraling patterns throughout her body. A last he spoke against her skin. “You need blood.” “I have had my blood.” She twisted her wrist from his grasp. “A river of blood. An ocean.” Minuet traced the powerful line of his chin. “Enough to drain every person in this state, I would imagine. Someone should do the math someday.” Luscious gathered her hair in his hands, fighting with the auburn waves that tumbled free of his fingers. Minuet allowed him to draw her down to his mouth. His tongue was no less magical as it swirled around hers. As the kiss deepened he pulled her on top of him. Their naked tummies rubbed as their mouths explored. Her nipples drew tight and sensitive as her breasts rubbed over his chest. The cold roughness of his trousers dragged against the inside of her thighs as she supported herself with her knees on either side of his hips. Her skin burned, reawakening as he kissed her. With his hands still capturing her hair, he pulled her back just enough to speak. “Feed.” Luscious pressed up with his hips, grinding his trapped cock to her bare pussy lips. “It makes me horny.” Her lips parted, intending to say something in protest. Luscious stared between them at her fangs. The cock pulsed noticeably, even through his pants. “You are addicted to the bite?” “No.” He grinned handsomely. “It just makes me so fucking hot.” Minuet flattened her hands against his chest. “I don’t want to take from you.” “Would you swallow my cum?” Minuet blinked at his frankness. “Possibly.”

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“Just another bodily fluid.” Luscious drew her closer. He caught her full lower lip. Gently he sucked at it, teasing. With a soft smacking sound he released it. “Show me your oral obsession. You know it turns you on, too.” It was true. Her pussy was already aching again. She wanted Luscious to bury himself inside her. She wanted to feel the massiveness promised by the bulge pressing against the inside of his trousers. Her mouth watered at the thought of biting him. The fragrance of his blood tempted her even through his skin. Luscious was twice as sexy as any male had a right to be. She could have him, blood and all. Minuet didn’t resist as he lowered her mouth to his throat. At the exhale she breathed across his skin, Luscious gave a delicious moan. His neck arched toward her as her lips wrapped around his pulse. “Bite me,” he whispered. When the tips of her fangs broke his skin, Luscious hissed. She slid her teeth in deep, liking his shivered reaction. His hands fisted tight in her hair. He trapped her unyieldingly against his throat. His lap ground up toward her as the first hot gush of blood spilled onto her tongue. The way Luscious flexed beneath her was demandingly sexual. The groans he made just turned her on even more. She sucked on him. Luscious bled into her mouth as she drank from the throbbing vein. The thick muscle of his neck filled her mouth. The life in his blood burned as it was absorbed into the parched tissues of her body, bringing them back to intense awareness. Being hungry had done more than feed her depression, it had encased her in a cotton cocoon that dulled all her senses. As the blood renewed, her colors grew more vibrant. Sounds more crystal clear. Even the lightest touch practically vibrated with intensity. It would have been easy to drink too much, but Luscious was not her Summon to rebirth. Strong as he was, he was no match for her Kinsman strength. She lifted her mouth away from his neck against his insistence. He reluctantly released her hair and watched her as he lounged beneath her. The wounds on his throat closed quickly. Only a drop slithered down his skin toward the white sheets. Minuet caught it with her fingertip and then licked it away.

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Minuet sat back on Luscious’ lap. His creative intimacies had made her feel sexually renewed and sexually inexperienced, which was quite a feat. The youth in his blood revitalized her body, making her feel as fresh as a spring blossom after a long winter. “You are as scrumptious as your name suggests. I must admit that I feel refreshed.” “That was the goal.” He smirked. It was a lovely smirk, full of the confidence of youth. “I have seen much in my ten centuries. Sometimes I think I have seen too much.” She leaned over him, her hair spilling forward to partially shield her face and to reach tantalizingly toward his glistening skin. “I wonder now what I have not seen. My experience with you was quite unique. Unexpected, to say the least.” “Remember you said that, the next time that jackass tries to feed you poison.” Luscious reached up and cupped her breasts. He massaged them lightly, drawing a sigh from her. “Let’s get some air.” When he sat up Minuet climbed off him. She watched him collect his shirt and put it on. The movement of his muscles was hypnotic. For herself, Minuet did not bother with any undergarments. Instead she found a body-hugging velvet dress that glided sensuously over her awakened flesh. The sleeves clung to her arms, but had enough stretch that she could push them up if she desired. The skirt hung to her ankles and swished close to her legs when she walked. The blue was as deep as the ocean at night. She slipped on her calf-high leather boots and zipped them up the side. The murderously high heels on the ice and snow outside would be risky for a human, but for her they would be as stable as if she wore hiking boots. Luscious left his bag in her bedroom, but brought his assault rifle. His long coat hid the weapon as it hung from the strap over his shoulder. When he moved there was a noticeable stiffness to the coat, but the casual observer would not detect it. Minuet drew her white cashmere wrap around her shoulders. Even though it provided more warmth than it looked, the temperature in the winter mountains didn’t affect her.

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He offered her his left elbow and she accepted the gentleman’s gesture with a smile. “Rare manners in this age.” “Deacon makes sure we are trained properly.” He offered her a wink. In her era the gentleman escorted a lady on the opposite side from his sword arm, so he could defend her quickly if needed. Luscious’ assault rifle was the modern equivalent for a claymore. Heavy but deadly. The night outside the lodge was growing late for hunting, but far yet from the dawn. A few humans still moved through the streets, many of them tourists finding more amusements than simply skiing in the resort town. Many of the two and threestory buildings lining the wide streets reminded her of Bavaria with the exposed wooden beams and gingerbread accents. Now and then a modern glass building or wood cabin-inspired lodge ruined the effect. Luscious strolled at a leisurely pace down the sidewalk, signs and street lights illuminating their path toward the snow-blanketed garden at the far end of town. Snow began to fall as they reached the archway entrance to the garden. The flakes sparkled like stardust, sugarcoating them and everything around them with its glitter. Minuet gasped as the reason for this stroll came into view. Lining the walkway, ice sculptures twinkled in the moonlight. Her favorites were the fanciful and mythic figures. A child-sized fairy with wings lounged inside a huge flower. A unicorn as large as a mustang reared high above them. A swan big enough to ride swam through frozen waves of snow. “Stunning,” she whispered, unwilling to disturb the magical atmosphere. “These artists have only been perfecting their craft for a few years. Maybe a decade at most.” He paused before the swan, taking in its perfection. Minuet glanced up at Luscious, his short brown hair and coat as snow sparkling as the ice sculptures. “I sense that you wish to make a point.” He turned to her. “Have you ever read J.R.R. Tolkien?”

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“The Lord of the Rings?” She searched his gaze, not finding his meaning. “Yes. It’s been a while.” “When he wrote of the elves, he talked about their long lives. He said that they would perfect their artistry and crafts throughout the centuries.” “I see.” Minuet released his arm. She moved alone through the sculpture garden, looking more closely at details and avoiding meeting his gaze again. “That is fiction, though.” He followed her at a distance. “The point remains a valid one.” Minuet touched a finger of an ice rendering of Michelangelo’s David. Not close to the master’s art, but amazing for the ice medium. Her naturally cool flesh did not even begin to melt the ice. Luscious persisted “Life does not have to be a blood fest. Eating and sleeping, those are the bare necessities. You have greater needs than just those. The need for social contact. The need to challenge yourself. The need to become more than you are. The need to reach for your highest potential.” “I am a vampire,” she protested. “That changes nothing. You are an intelligent, creative woman with needs. Care enough about yourself to feed those needs.” She allowed Luscious to slip in close behind her. His arms circled her waist. Relaxing back against him, Minuet released a sigh, freeing herself of a layer of tension as she did. “Deacon worries about you because he cares. Many of the Renaissance Clan do. Came back home to us. Explore your potential. Expand your horizons. Teach the other vampires to transcend the blood obsession and become more than predators.” The lone sound of gloved hands clapping echoed through the sculpture garden with an ominous sound.

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“Lovely sentiment, Summon, but I believe the baroness, she has heard enough.” Minuet and Luscious turned toward the intrusion. Nazario stepped out from behind a statue of a growling ice bear. Three younger Kinsmen flanked him. Two were armed with swords. The last with a handgun. “They are not Executioner Clan, but they will do, no?” Minuet didn’t even see Luscious shift as the muted thump of his assault rifle fired. The attached silencer stifled the sound. Caught flatfooted, the Kinsmen didn’t react fast enough. The one with the gun jerked as his head exploded. Before his body even hit the ground everyone else was moving. Luscious dove against Minuet, shoving her behind a sculpture as his rifle fired semi-automatic rounds at the vampires. She heard bullets hitting flesh and ice before she landed beneath Luscious. He was off her almost instantly. Skilled as he was, he lacked vampire speed and strength. As Luscious was dragged off her, his rifle was ripped away from him and tossed yards away by one of the vampire swordsman. The other sword bearer lunged at Minuet, blade aimed for her heart. This Kinsman, a youth of less than a hundred years, could barely move a quarter of Minuet’s speed. She rolled in the snow toward her attacker. His sword stabbed into the ground behind her. When she rolled back she hit the flat of the blade and jerked it free of his hands. Minuet came up from the ground, bringing the sword up with her. She drove it halfway to the hilt into the Kinsman’s gut. He hissed with fury and pain, bearing his fangs like a rabid bat. Minuet jerked back the blade and spun, neatly severing his head from his body. She didn’t even pause to watch the pieces hit the ground. Whirling around, Minuet gasped. Luscious was down on his knees, forced there by the swordsman who gripped the Summon by the back of his neck. She raised her blade, knowing that she would be too late as she rushed forward. The swordsman swung a hacking blow, aiming to behead Luscious. The explosive sound of a handgun jerked her to a stop. Luscious had fired a gun hidden inside his coat, blowing a hole through the

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coat’s back and right into the Kinsman holding him down. Blood poured from his chest wound. Minuet finished him. Nazario caught Minuet from behind. His forearm circled her neck as he forced her back against him. His other hand raised high, a syringe poised to plunge into her neck. His vicious growl rumbled next to her ear. Just as quickly as he’d grabbed her, Nazario was jerked away. Minuet spun around, her hand protectively covering the artery in her neck he’d been aiming for. Deacon had Nazario by the hair. His other hand locked around Nazario’s wrist. With the sound of grinding bones, Nazario shouted. The syringe dropped from his hand into the snow. Deacon growled as he slammed Nazario’s face into the heavy sculpture of a boat, shattering it into a pile of ice shards. For a moment Minuet thought Nazario might be unconscious as he slumped down. Deacon turned toward her, a question of concern for her safety half spoken, when Nazario twisted. A shard of ice impaled Deacon’s thigh. Nazario fled into the darkness, his fallen comrades of no concern to him now. They would rapidly disintegrate into nothingness long before the sun rose. Luscious rushed to Deacon, helping to support his weight as Deacon jerked the ice shard from his flesh. “Luckily this will close quickly. We should still get you back to the castle where the clan can keep you safe, Baroness.” “I’ve survived more than one attempt on my life,” she said. Before she joined them, Minuet collected the other sword and the gun. The syringe with what poison Nazario thought would be effective, she crushed beneath her boot. She followed them as Luscious helped Deacon to their town car. Minuet and Deacon settled into the backseat while Luscious drove. The castle Deacon had constructed in the heart of the Rocky Mountain ski country was less than fifteen minutes away, and yet was virtually isolated in a heavily wooded valley. She helped him keep pressure on the wound, but the bleeding had slowed already. Deacon covered her hand with his. “Nazario wants you dead. Clearly he was not interested in helping you commit suicide because you desired the Final Death.” 25

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“Clearly.” She released the scarf covering Deacon’s wound and then licked her bloody fingers. “I suppose you think you know why, after all these centuries, he’d come after me.” He glanced up at her, an eyebrow raised. He waited, until she fidgeted. “Fine,” she conceded. “So I know what he was after. I have not had much to do with the Executioner Clan in recent decades. That aside, I remain one of the conservative voices on the council. We keep the balance. The stalemate, if you prefer. “We founded the Executioners for a reason. It appears as though Nazario’s ambitions have not dulled with the passage of time. Control of the Executioners would be a devastating weapon in the wrong hands.” Deacon kept his stare pinned to Minuet, but she refused to reveal her discomfort. “I do hope you are not planning to make it easy for him. Nor do his dirty work for him.” Minuet shifted, and caught Luscious staring at her in the rearview mirror, intent on hearing her answer. They should not be speaking of the council nor their association with the Executioner Clan in earshot of outsiders, regardless of their guaranteed loyalty. Indeed, this delicious Summon had her thinking about matters other than her own death. It quite surprised her that after all this time anyone could show her something new. Minuet cooled her expression before turning her own determined gaze back at Deacon. “If I choose the Final Death, it will be of my own accord. I will not have Nazario speed me to it. Nor will I have you manipulate me for your own cause, Deacon. I know your mind. My continued life serves your interests, or you would not be making such an effort.” “That’s where you are wrong, old friend.” He touched her knee lightly. “And you know better than to even suggest it. You’d secluded yourself for your own reasons, and I respected that. You were always missed and your return was awaited with impatience.” The slight smile that touched her lips was unintended, but she did not erase it. When she caught Luscious’ eyes in the rearview mirror, she could tell he was smiling 26

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too. He winked at her. It stole her breath. When was the last time she’d been winked at? It seemed almost ridiculously simple and yet drove a heat wave up her body until it burned color into her cheeks. Her body well remembered the sensations he’d given her. Already she felt a tightening in her pussy.

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Chapter Three Deacon instructed Luscious to help the baroness to a guest suite. She took his arm and allowed him to guide her through the castle. Deacon had it brought over from Ireland decades ago and there was no sign that it had been moved. Everything had been reconstructed perfectly. The “antiques” she knew to be authentic. Deacon had bought them new centuries ago. She followed Luscious to an interior suite with no windows, safe from both sunlight and from attackers. The private sitting room was spacious and comfortably upholstered in velvets in shades of burgundy. Through the doorway she could see a fireplace and a heavy four-poster bed of a dark wood. “Will this be comfortable enough for you, Baroness?” Luscious asked, waiting near the doorway. She finished taking a turn of the room, and then closed the door to the suite behind him. “I don’t feel quite at home just yet.” She gave him a suggestive little grin. He reached up, and she thought he meant to touch her cheek, but his cupped hand curled under her breast instead. His thumb heavily brushed over her nipple, perking it up hard. She rewarded him with a squeak of surprised pleasure. Minuet moved against Luscious with desire heating up inside her hotter and faster than she’d ever felt before. He pulled her tighter to him. His mouth was covering hers in an instant. The moist heat of his tongue drove between her lips. Their kiss was steamy, his lips burning and yielding. Minuet melted against his body, wanting to eliminate any space between them. She grabbed his ass to force herself against the cock she felt growing harder between them. With his fingers curled into her hair, Luscious pulled her head back, arching her neck. He kissed and licked her throat and jaw. She clutched to him to keep her balance 28

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as he kissed her with such lustful energy. Her leg slipped between his. As she rubbed her thigh against the crotch of his trousers she could feel the weight of his balls. He pulled away from her enough to tug at her clothing. He stripped away her long dress with impatience, leaving her naked. “I wanted so desperately to be naked with you again. To feel you touching me,” she gasped, reaching for his pants. “But what I want most is your cock.” Luscious caught her wrists as she reached for him. He guided her hands to his cock as it pressed against the inside of his clothing. He helped her to rub him through his clothing. “You want to fuck me?” “Yes!” She grinned up at him, and then kissed him demandingly. Luscious yanked off his shirt and threw it aside. Minuet unfastened his pants and tugged them down. She knelt down to help him rid himself of his boots and pants. The massive cock reached toward her. It was even fatter around than she’d imagined. Luscious was hung like a stallion. “Suck me first,” Luscious murmured. It was more than a lover’s request. This was a demand laced with heat and control. Minuet rested back on her knees. She caressed the suede-soft skin around his balls. They clenched, wrinkling up the skin tighter beneath his cock. Watching his expression, Minuet licked the lightly haired balls. Luscious’ mouth opened in a soft gasp. He bit his lower lip as she sucked one of the balls into her mouth and rolled it over her tongue. All the while his hands worked encouragingly in her hair. “Good,” he sighed. “Perfect. Now stroke my cock.” She did as he asked. Her hand circled the root of his shaft, barely fitting around it. As she sucked, licked and kissed over his nuts, she glided her hand up and down his shaft. He swelled even more as she touched him. The very thought of his huge cock pressing deep inside her sent a chill tumbling through her entire body. Her fingers flicked over the wide mushroom head of his cock. It would stretch her to fit that knob

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inside her, but she wanted to feel him force himself inside, and then deep as he could reach. Over and over. “Put my cock in your mouth. Suck me.” He guided her by her hair to move out to the very tip of his cock. She kissed him there. With a flick of her tongue she tickled the slit. Luscious arched his head back and then looked down at her once more. “Fuck me with your pretty mouth.” Minuet smiled right before she opened her lips. He thought her pretty? She knew she still appeared as youthful as she had when she’d been rebirthed, but she didn’t often think of herself as pretty. Few women did, she supposed. It was the nature of her gender. It was always lovely to hear a sexy man call her attractive. Her lips formed tightly around his wide head, making sure he felt the pressure of her lips as she took him into her mouth. She opened her throat as she pressed herself forward. His cock head rubbed over her tongue and then down into her throat. She watched Luscious as best she could, loving the expression on his face. His teeth clenched as he rocked back and forth, making love to her mouth. He tasted as divine as his name suggested. Musky and masculine. When he made a noise like he might come, he pulled her back. “Not yet.” Luscious knelt down with her, and then guided her to lie back on the thick carpet. His palms caressed over her body, up her legs, her tummy, her breasts. He bent to the nipple closest to him and then sucked it into his mouth hard. The flicking of his tongue sent zinging sensations through her body. She felt his teeth, nipping and putting a measured amount of a clamping pressure on her. Minuet arched up to him. Her legs spread wider and she hardly realized the invitation until she felt his fingers touching her there. Her lips had parted. She could feel just how wet she’d become when he rubbed her own juices over her lips and clit. As he sucked her breast, his fingers swirled over her pussy. Nothing had ever filled her entire body with lust the way Luscious could. Her legs opened wider to him. “Please fuck me,” she begged. “Please.” 30

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Luscious curled his first two fingers, penetrating her pussy only to his first knuckle. His thumb rubbed over her clit with perfect and demanding pressure. Easily his fingers glided inside her passage. Her slick juices ensured that he had no resistance. His fingers fucked her with long strokes, done cleverly to keep his thumb always on her clit and always moving in a swirling pattern. Minuet hadn’t wanted to come on his hand. She wanted his cock deep, deep inside her. He coaxed another orgasm from her anyway. Her body bucked, forcing his fingers deeper still. Luscious knew the exact right place inside her to rub. Her pussy clenched over and over, squeezing him, but he refused to be expelled. Luscious moved his mouth to her pussy. He lapped up her juices as he coaxed more and more from her. Minuet writhed on the floor. She kept her legs wide and lifted her hips to keep as much of Luscious to her tingling pussy as she could. When she thought she could endure no more, she closed her legs around him. Luscious would not let her stop him. His fingers kept charging in and out of her body. She squirmed away, but he followed her. His lips sealed around her clit. He sucked as he licked, forcing her further into orgasm. She screamed, but still he refused to stop. She grabbed his hair, but to her own surprise she did not pull him away. With one more outcry she felt her orgasm explode. Her juices flowed heavily into his mouth and Luscious swallowed every drop. Minuet collapsed back. Her legs falling open once more, too weak to move. Luscious licked at her body, not letting a drop escape him. When he was done, he rested his cheek on her thigh and gazed up at her. “Why won’t you fuck me?” she asked between gasps. “I want your cock inside me so much.” Even admitting it made her body begin to arouse once more. He laughed. “I am giving you something to look forward to. Giving you a reason to live.” “Oh damn.” She slumped back onto the carpet. “I want you so fucking bad.”

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Luscious gave her pussy one more lick. “I will give you what you want when I am satisfied that you will appreciate it.”

***** The next evening Luscious escorted Minuet onto the dais overlooking the ballroom. As was the fashion of an earlier time, Minuet carried a feathered fan that dangled from a cord around her wrist. She lifted her skirt to keep from stepping on the hem. She took her seat beside Deacon. Before them the Kinsmen, Offspring and Summons of the Renaissance Clan mingled and danced. After a moment Luscious brought Minuet a wineglass with cold blood. She sipped it politely before setting it aside on a small table. “I see you still favor donation to hunting.” “The humans willing give at blood drives. They don’t know where it goes, just that it saves lives.” Deacon paused. “Their own.” “Always the humanitarian.” She smiled sideways at him. Deacon nearly choked on his drink. “Hardly.” Minuet scanned the crowd. Luscious was talking softly with a beautiful blonde woman who was merely a Summon. She must be very useful as a human for no one to have claimed her for their Offspring. Minuet cooled herself with the feathered fan, using it to block the view of her mouth. She spoke softly with practiced expertise so that not even the vampire hearing of those present could overhear her comment to Deacon. “Do you think we should inform the rest of the council of Nazario’s attempt on my life?” “It would appear weak. And calling on Executioners to defend you would violate the very principles we are trying to uphold. You would appear no better than Nazario and the others who would use the Executioner Clan as a personal army. You will have to deal with Nazario in the traditional manner.” He finished his drink and set his glass aside, putting an end to the topic for now. “Are you enjoying Luscious?”

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Minuet folded her fan, tossed it into her lap and then crossed her legs as she leaned toward Deacon. “Your Summon is a tease.” “A tease?” “Precisely.” Deacon rubbed his chin, considering his Summon from across the room. Luscious felt the touch of Deacon’s vampire magic. He lifted his gaze to Deacon as if his name had been called. “I see,” Deacon agreed. “Talented of him.” “Annoying of him,” she huffed. “Politic of him. You remember how to play politics don’t you?” She slid him a sideways glance. “Yes. I do.”

***** Minuet kept her arm hooked through Luscious’ as he opened the door to her suite. Taking the hint, he followed her inside. Reaching behind him, she closed the door softly. “I know what you want,” she murmured. He glanced back at her. “You should.” Minuet reached up to rest her hands on his broad shoulders. Tonight he’d worn a cashmere sweater in a warm scarlet hue. Very suggestive, she had thought, like the color of blood as it swells into the first drops from a punctured vein. She drew Luscious down until her lips sucked around the pulse in his throat. Minuet could feel his heartbeat against her tongue even as she tasted his masculine flesh. Luscious filled her senses. His smelled so good. All male with the spice of some cologne she didn’t know, but that reminded her of the crisp winter air in a forest when the wind was still. His heat against her lips made her mouth water. Luscious tilted his chin away, encouraging her. She felt his hands cradling her back as he drew her closer. The soft sigh that escaped him was what she sought. It was then that she drew away.

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When he met her with a question in his eyes, she smiled. “I know how much you desire the bite. I would love to feel the sweet heat of your blood on my tongue.” Minuet kissed him. Their tongues caressed each other’s with deepening excitement, and again she drew back. “Give me what I want and I’ll give you what you want.” A smirk quirked up his lips, amused. “And what do you want?” She reached down and cupped his heavy balls in her curved palm. “You know you’ve been teasing me. I want the real thing. I want you inside me.” “In exchange for the bite,” he clarified. She nodded. “No deal.” Minuet pouted. It had been ages since she’d pouted over anything. She backed away and crossed her arms. The pressure over her expectant nipples sent a zinging through her body, but she refused to give any hint of it. “Why ever not?” Luscious bent to her neck this time. He kissed her there. His lips parted. The soft scrape of his teeth and the heavy suction of his mouth threatened to mark her with a love bite. Minuet swayed against him. A soft whimper escaped her. With his fingers tangled in her hair, Luscious firmly drew her head back. His mouth brushed lightly against her ear. “In this clan of vampires, I can get the bite anywhere.” She started to protest, but he drew her head back just that slight bit more to quiet her. The confidence in his control sent her own heart racing. He was dominant, to be certain, but never rough. It was a feather edge between the two, but Luscious did not cross it. Instead he continued, “What I want from you is something no one else can give me.” “And what treasure might that be?” Her words were shivering with anticipation. Ever so softly he said, “Your life.” Minuet tried to draw back, a tickle of fear sharpening her already anxious state. “What?”

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“Your life,” he repeated. “The guarantee that you will allow no one to end it. Not even yourself.” Just as what he demanded sank in, Luscious grabbed her breast hard. Minuet moaned. “I know if you give your word, you will keep it.” Luscious dragged his hand down her body before catching her wrist. He brought it to touch his thick cock through his trousers. “Only then will I give you what you want.” Minuet massaged his cock. “Is this one time with you worth a promise that could last another thousand years?” “It will not be just one time, I promise you that.” Luscious rocked forward, pressing her harder to him. “Maybe then you will realize you have centuries of experiences you have not yet discovered.” Minuet smiled. “I make you a counteroffer then. That I will agree to your terms for the length of your life. You have until then to convince me there is more yet to experience.” As she traced the shape of him through his clothing, a tremble ran through his muscles, proving that holding out had not been difficult for only her. “Deal.” Directing her with her hair, Luscious had her kneel before him. She unfastened his pants. Running her fingers over his skin, she slid his slacks and boxers down the long, strong length of his thighs. He stepped out of them and widened his stance for balance. Minuet kissed up the inside of his leg. A hiss escaped between his teeth. It thrilled her to have such an effect on this stud who had such a dramatic effect on her. She glanced up at him. “Sit down on the sofa.” Luscious gave her a sexy little smile with those lips made to be bitten. He stripped off his sweater as he crossed the room. The way he slumped onto the cushions, she knew he would enjoy relaxing back while she worked. Not that she intended to give him oral gratification for long. Knowing this was what gave her smile the suggestive edge. 35

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As she crossed toward him, Minuet drew her dress up. With intentional leisureliness, she revealed her body to him an inch at a time. Luscious watched the hem ride up her thighs to reveal the lace of her panties. With a sway of her hips the dress rose past them. As she stretched, the muscles of her tummy curved attractively as they too were exposed. The entire time, Luscious drank her in with his thirsty gaze. He licked his lips as she drew her dress above her breasts. White lace cradled her curves with perfect accentuation. At last she pulled the dress over her head. Her dark hair tumbled carelessly down around her face and shoulders. Luscious stroked himself as she drew nearer. Minuet sank down to her knees before crawling toward him with the fluidity of a feline. Her fingers touched the inside of his knees, pushing them wider still. She scratched her fingernails lightly up his inner thighs before shooing his hand away from his cock. Minuet collected the weight of his balls in her palm, rolling them lightly. Her other hand circled his shaft. The soft flesh glided beneath her fingers as she pumped up the full length. When she slid her hand back down, she stretched the skin taut. With the wide lick of her tongue, Minuet laved up first one side of his balls, and then the other. Her lips stretched back as she opened her mouth wide, exposing the gleaming length of her fangs. She hesitated only a breath before dropping down with thrusting force and impaled the vein of his thigh near his crotch. Luscious jerked back with a startled cry that melted into a moan. His hands caught her head, shoving her face harder against his leg. Minuet only allowed herself two full swallows before jerking up. The blood still coated her teeth when she licked them clean. “Don’t stop,” he gasped, trying to make her bite him once more. He hissed when she took his cock into her mouth instead. Arching back, he shoved his cock as deeply into her throat as Minuet would take him. The curves of her fangs scraped the sides of his shaft as she sucked up and down. The pulse in the veins branching up the distance of his cock made her mouth water even more. She could taste the heat and desire on his

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skin. It mirrored the lust surging within her. An ache built in her pussy. His promise echoed there, making her inner walls tremble with anticipation. Minuet sat back. Her hand pumped encouragingly over him. “I want you now.” His sexual growl sent shivers through her. Luscious caught her hand in his. He rose and then aided her to her feet. Guiding her behind him, he told her, “There was a reason I picked this suite for you.” Minuet had to skip a few steps to keep up with Luscious’ longer strides. Once in the bedroom, he kept a hold on her hand. From a chest beneath the bed he brought out a canvas swing seat. The fabric-covered chains joined in one large ring. Luscious stepped up onto the bedside stool and latched the ring to a sturdy hook in the ceiling. Watching his naked body move was always a treat. Knowing that he had plans for her and that seat, topped with his reluctance to relinquish her hand, sparked showers of excitement through every molecule of her body. When Luscious stepped back down to the floor, the swing seat dangled over the edge of the bed. The frame held the seat so that the long back would cradle the person it held in a partially reclined position. Luscious circled her waist in his strong hand and lifted Minuet into the seat. The canvas was softer than she would have guessed, and strong enough to allow her the confidence to relax. Luscious moved between her legs. She wrapped her knees behind his hips. The swing hung at the perfect height, no doubt by design. Luscious’ cock was poised just at the entrance of her pussy. Holding the frame of the seat, Luscious controlled her swing. Her moisture rubbed against the head of his cock. When he thrust forward, his width and length plowed into her. Minuet tossed her head back. He filled her so completely. A rasping gasp escaped from her. The swing gave no resistance. As Luscious pistoned into her, his hips collided with her body and the force shoved the swing back in rebound. Each time Luscious yanked the frame of the swing forward once more, making each impact into her body

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shattering in intensity. Her gasping breath matched each thrust, punctuated with an outcry, testimony to the glorious sensation. Her fingers gripped the clenched muscles of his shoulders, using his stability to keep her swinging path smooth. A sheen of sweat made Luscious glow in the soft lamp light. Each muscle was perfectly defined as he moved and flexed. The man would be a perfect model for nude sketches. That was something she’d always wanted to try. Everything about Luscious told her that he would be game if she asked him. The pace changed as Luscious gritted his teeth. He pumped into her at a slower, more deliberate pace, making sure each time that he drove himself as deeply into her wet pussy as he could. She cried, “Yes! Deep! Deep as you can go!” He didn’t disappoint. Finding that amazing spot deep within her, Luscious coaxed her joy higher and higher. When she cried out, he picked up speed once more. “Oh!” He closed his eyes tight as he shouted, “Gah! Fuck, yes!” Luscious shot his cum into her depths. Minuet clenched around him with uncontrolled spasms. Each body jolt of her orgasm buoyed her spirits higher. He was like a drug. The more he gave to her, the more Minuet couldn’t get enough. Luscious was beyond her daydream of a perfect lover. As creative and insatiable as he was, she could not begin to imagine what more secrets he possessed. What more thrills he could gift her. Minuet hugged Luscious, her pussy around his cock, and her arms and legs circling his body. He lifted her from the swing that way, and laid her back onto the bed. He did not slip free of her even then. “I could get accustomed to this,” she joked. Luscious laughed. “I have not yet even begun to show you my bag of tricks.” She smiled up at him. Her hands framed his face. “So perfectly handsome.” “That’s just the endorphins talking.” He rubbed against her, their sex-heated bodies molding perfectly together.

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He had definite possibilities, she thought. What they would ultimately become, she didn’t know. But the potential was very much there. Minuet lifted her head just enough to bite the thick muscle of his neck. Her fangs sank into his delicious flash. The shivered exhale from him was all the encouragement she needed to feed. She smiled as she drank. Definite possibilities.

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About the Author Amanda’s interests in the paranormal go beyond paranormal romance. She’s involved with Healing Touch, which is a form of healing using spiritual energy. She has gone on ghost hunts and conducted séances. Experiences involving past life regression, channeling, telepathy, precognition and lucid dreams all contribute to the pool of inspiration from which she draws. Her romances are published by both Ellora’s Cave and Cerridwen Press.

Amanda welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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Also by Amanda Sidhe Beyond the Veil Dominant Blood: Kitten Dominant Blood: Raging Passions Dominant Blood: Summoned by Lust

Check out Amanda’s milder titles at Cerridwen Press (www.cerridwenpress.com):

Her Dangerous Promise Secrets of the Dark

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

www.ellorascave.com