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The
vampire in question all out grinned, making her knees feel a little weak. “I
would never hurt you, Cassidy. Do I look weak to you?”

She
found herself running her gaze down the length of him and shook her head. There
was nothing but raw power. “You are far from weak, that’s the problem. You
could snap me like a twig.”

He
laughed. “No, a female like you”—his eyes seemed to heat—“should be treasured
and protected. It will be an honor to take your blood. I will not hurt you.”
His eyes dipped to her chest for the briefest second before moving back to her
face. “You might want to lose the blouse.” He pulled his own shirt over his
head.

Her
mouth dried in an instant and she found herself taking a sip of the juice. She
had to force herself to relinquish her severe hold on the glass.

Thankfully,
he didn’t seem to notice how shaken she was or that she was staring. He turned
to throw his shirt over the back of one of the sofas. York had a six pack that
looked like it had been carved from granite with that whole vee at the hips
thing going on. His back was a wide expanse of hard muscle. He had those
bulging muscles at the top of his shoulders. They ran down from his neck. The
word
yummy
came to mind. Her tongue suddenly grew a mind of its own
wanting to lick them…him…all over.

York
turned to face her and flexed his pecs. Cassidy put a hand out, clutching for
the edge of the sofa closest to her to steady herself.

His
eyes dropped back down to her chest area. “You really should take that off,
wouldn’t want to ruin it.”

“I…it’s
fine…it’s old anyway.” She was stuttering and stammering and still struggling
to inhale sufficient oxygen into her lungs to be able to think clearly.

He
frowned for a few seconds before nodding. “Maybe if we loosened the top two
buttons.” In less than two strides he was at her side.

It was
probably her imagination, but she was sure she could feel heat radiating off of
him. Heavens above, she could definitely smell his manly, musky scent with a
hint of soapy, clean undertones. If cologne companies could bottle it, they’d
make a small fortune.

“I’d
be happy to help if—”

“No.”
It came out a little too harsh. “I’ve got it. Are you sure that I need to?” It
would be better if she kept as clothed as possible and looked at him as little
as possible. Her panties were distinctly damp and he had yet to lay a finger on
her.

“I
need to get to the base of your neck. Right about”—he lifted his hand placing
two fingers at her pulse just below the neckline of her blouse—“here.” Her
heart rate sky rocketed at the simple touch. She may not have been able to
breathe earlier, but right now, her breathing was too labored. Her chest rising
and falling quickly.

“Hey…”
His deep voice abraded her senses. “You’re in good hands. Please calm down. I
won’t hurt you.” Only then did he allow his hand to fall away from her. He
looked down at her with such focus and intensity. Like she was the only person
that existed in the world, or at least the only one that counted, which was
crazy because they had only just met and this was a business arrangement.

“I
know.” She answered without thinking.

His
eyes narrowed for a second. “Why are you so afraid then? I can scent your
fear.” His nostrils flared. “It’s pungent.”

“I’m
sorry.” Her cheeks heated and she looked away, feeling more vulnerable than she
ever had before.

“You
have nothing to be sorry about. If you truly believe that I mean you no harm,
why are you still so afraid?” He paused.

How
the hell did she tell him that she was attracted to him and afraid of becoming
so aroused that she would do something that would embarrass the hell out of her?
Images of straddling his lap, of his hands on her, rose up in her mind. Cassidy
didn’t do things like that with total strangers and wasn’t about to start now.
The problem was, she didn’t think she was going to have much say in the matter,
so maybe it was best that they discussed it now.

York
cupped her chin, lifting her gaze to his. “Tell me.” He released her.

Cassidy
licked her lips. “I’m a little worried about my reaction to you when you drink
from me.”

His
lip twitched.

“I’m
worried because I’ve been told that we humans react quite heavily to being
bitten.” It came out rushed and high pitched, but at least it was out in the
open now.

York
nodded once. “Yeah…you will become aroused and will need to be touched.”

His
candid matter of fact approach had her taking a step back. She’d expected him
to play it down or deny it flat out, but not this.

“Maybe
take off the stockings and your underwear.” He went on. “I am very good with my
hands. I’ll make sure that it is good for you.”

Cassidy
sat down on the sofa, landing heavily. He was being totally honest, which she
appreciated. She shook her head. “No, it won’t be necessary.”

No
way in hell!

Glancing
down at her watch, she noticed that they had five minutes left before their
session ended.

York
gave her a cocky half smile, hooking his fingers into his jean pockets. He was
big, built and entirely hairless. Sexy wasn’t nearly a good enough description.
“It is a simple fact that when I sink my teeth into your honeyed skin, you are
going to go out of your head with need. Your pussy will be wetter than it’s
ever been in your whole life. It will be like someone lit a match inside you.
Your womb will scream to be filled. Your clit will throb. It will be torture to
try and abstain and there is no need to.”

She
shook her head. Horrified at how turned on she was. How close she was to
agreeing to everything. She hadn’t had sex in a year. Right now that felt like
a very long damned time.

York
sat down next to her. “Climb onto my lap. Open your legs just a little. No one
will see anything because you will be covered by your skirt.” His voice dropped
about a hundred octaves. “I will make you come multiple times in half a minute.
It would be my pleasure.”

He
made it sound like he would be doing her a favor. Then again, he probably would
be doing her a favor. Who was she kidding? Just look at the guy, there was no
way he was interested in her in a real way.

She
tried to eat healthy but the fact of the matter was, she enjoyed her food and
wasn’t about to give it up so that she could be a stick insect. As a result,
she had some flesh on her bones, cellulite had become a factor as well as she
neared thirty.

Her
hair was just past her shoulders. It was so dark brown that it looked black. It
also had the tendency to be a little frizzy so she washed it daily using a
special conditioner that you left in. It helped tame the frizz, mostly. Her
boobs were a decent size but they were a little droopy. Thankfully her nipples
still faced forward, so not too bad. She really couldn’t complain. Her eyes
were probably her best attribute. Somewhere between a light brown and green.

There
was also nothing extraordinary about her. She’d had friends in school, but she was
not one of the popular girls. She’d dated guys but never one of the really good
looking ones. None like York. Guys like York were always into the supermodel
types like the ones she’d seen around the castle. She was sure that the women
they picked to enter the breeding program would be much the same.
He is not
interested in you Cassidy, the delicious looking vampire is just being polite.

“Can I
help you undress?” York asked, bringing her back. “We don’t have much time
left.”

“No,
I’m good. Thanks.” There was no way she would let him touch her out of some
false sense of owing her. Or pity or whatever it was that was driving him to
have made the offer in the first place.
Forget it.

York
sighed loudly. “If you change your mind…”

“I
won’t,” she snapped.

He
held up his hands in mock surrender. “If you do by any small miracle decide
that you need me to touch you, all you have to say is
tiger
and I’ll
come to your rescue.”

“Another
word to remember.” She had to laugh. “Thank you, but no.”

“Just
say the word and I’ll ease you…” He winked at her. “I’m pretty sure that I can
make you cum even through all those layers of clothes. We have less than a
minute so please get on my lap.” He tapped his meaty thighs.

An
argument was on the tip of her tongue but they were out of time. She was about
to lose herself fifteen big ones because of her fear of arousal.

Not
happening.

Cassidy
slid onto his lap and he steadied her by closing his hands on her hips. Oh god,
he was big and built and yummy.

“The
blouse,” he growled. “The buttons,” he added when she looked at him stupidly.
His eyes were glowing and his voice was so deep. Even deeper than before. Her
hands shook as she undid the top two buttons opening up her blouse to expose
her neck.

“Relax
and just say tiger when it gets too much.” His words were growled rather than
spoken. Like his voice box was damaged or something. It was sexy as hell. When
she looked down, she noticed that her silky blouse clung to her breasts. That
her nipples were so hard that they poked right through her bra. How
embarrassing! Note to self, wear padded bra next time.

York
was the first vampire that was drinking from her today. There were two more to
come. Just as she sucked in a deep breath, he bent down and sank his teeth into
her.

There
was a pinch, much like the feeling you get when a hypodermic needle breaks your
skin. She made a squeaking noise followed by a low moan as he closed his mouth
on her. His lips were hot and soft. His touch felt so sensual and intimate, it
made her drag in a rugged breath.

His
hands clasped her tighter, pulling her against his chest. Her own face was
buried into the crook of his neck. His delicious, manly scent wrapped itself
around her as his warmth seeped through her. When he sucked for the first time,
her hands automatically closed on his arms trying to find purchase. She tried
to pull away but he held on tight. He groaned loudly, ending on a deep growl
which vibrated against her, making her nipples pebble to the point of pain.

When
he sucked again, her back bowed and her girly bits turned wet. York had been
right, dripping wet, wetter than ever before. She mewled like a kitten. Her
grip on his arms increased but there was very little give because his muscles
were so rock solid.

York
growled loudly when he sucked again. The need to cum became all consuming. It
did feel like someone had lit a match inside her. She was burning with need.

Cassidy
moaned. She could hear that her voice was dripping with sheer frustration.
Panting, she pushed her thighs together to try and stop the ache. It only
worsened the problem. On the next long pull, she cried out. This time her voice
belied a need so consuming that it physically hurt.

Tiger.

One
teeny, tiny word. No way was she letting him give her a pity orgasm.

Pumpkin
.

If she
shouted that word then the Calvary would come in and York would fail and be
booted from the program. She couldn’t do that to him. He’d been nothing but
polite. Even his dirty talk had cut through the bullshit. It had been straight
down the line honesty which was more than she had been afforded by a man in a
very long time.

It
only left one other option. She would wait this out. This torture, this bliss,
this nightmare. It would all be over soon. She only hoped that she could stay
strong.

 

 

Chapter 5

 

Blood.

Hot,
thick, so sweet it had his muscles bunching and his dick turning rock hard. The
female sitting on his lap had his blood boiling and his synapses firing on all
cylinders. Her scent was beyond intoxicating. The taste of her blood was utter
ecstasy.

In
this moment, with her soft curves mashed up against him, with her gentle moans
and whimpers in his ears, York was finally able to understand why bloodlust
existed. He understood only too damned well what brought it on and why. He took
a deep pull on her neck, his mouth filled with her rich blood. She moaned.

Any
second now

If he
wasn’t careful he could lose ahold of reality. If he didn’t keep his wits about
him he could lose himself in her taste, in the feel of her. Become swept away.
What York had told this female was the truth. He would never harm her…
not
ever
. Another deep suck and his cock actually twitched as she cried out.
The sound a mixture of pleasure and pain.

Any
second now

His
hands itched. His cock throbbed, wanting out of the tight confines of his
jeans. It wanted to be buried deep inside this female. He longed to feel her
wet heat. Her hands held him tight. Her little fingers digging into his biceps.
She rubbed her thighs together, no doubt trying to ease the pressure that was
building between them. It wouldn’t help. Nothing would. He couldn’t wait to
touch her. Wished he could fuck her. The scent of her arousal had him groaning
his own note of frustration. Another pull, this time he sucked deep, knowing
that she would feel the pull in every erogenous zone in her body.

Any
second now

Her
back bowed and she made a keening noise that almost made him throw her down on
the sofa and rip her clothing to shreds.
How was she holding out?
When
she’d first walked into this room, he had scented her fear, he had also scented
her arousal. It had oozed from her pores from the moment she had laid eyes on
him. The fear had come and gone as they initially talked, the arousal had only
blossomed further. The female in his arms wanted him. She should not be able to
fight this.

York
wanted her right back. The need to ease her was almost overwhelming. He wanted
so much more than just a simple touch. Needed things that were not possible. He
wanted to make her come. Hear her cries of pleasure.
Why was she being so stubborn?
Another long, hard suck had her holding her breath. He heard her heart stop for
a few beats before starting back up again.

Give
in…

Say
it!

Another
hard pull. He felt her little teeth sink into his flesh and he snarled. Need
intermingled with frustration rode him hard. Her little teeth bit hard enough
for him to feel but not hard enough to break the skin. Desire and longing took
ahold of him like never before.

It
happened so quickly. One minute they were in an embrace and the next he was
being pulled away from her.

Fuck!

York
snarled in frustration as he caught a look of fear on her face. She was pale.
One of the guards, he couldn’t remember the fucker’s name, had his arms around
her slight shoulders.

“Mine,”
York snarled. His voice was so thick with rage that the word was mostly unrecognizable.

Cassidy
shrieked in terror. She was afraid of him. The other two guards held onto him,
one guard on each arm. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. His vision
narrowed until only she remained. He had to get to the female. Had to show her
that he meant her no harm, that she was safe.

He
ripped his right arm free. Then, he elbowed the guard on that side. There was a
sound of something cracking. More than likely the male’s jaw. Then he punched
the male on his left who staggered back. Unfortunately, he could see from the
corner of his eye that the guard wasn’t injured enough to stay down. He loathed
to take his eyes off the female but tore his gaze away long enough to punch him
in the throat. There was a sickening crunch as the male’s eyes bugged out of
his skull. The guard would not die but he would back the fuck off, which was
what York needed.

The
stupid fucker that was touching the human pushed her behind him. “Don’t do
this, York.”

“Fuck
off,” he growled.

“York,
you are going to hurt the female.”

There
was no way he would ever hurt even the tiniest hair on her head and he was
about to express this to the male that was in his way. He took a step towards
them, preparing to remove the irritating fuck when a bolt shot through his
body, it had muscles seizing. He fell to his knees.

“That
should’ve knocked him out,” a voice said. “I’m going to shoot him again.”

“Wait.”
It was a voice he mildly recognized but couldn’t place.

His
eyes stayed locked on the human who stared at him from behind the guard. Her
eyes were big, so fucking beautiful. On a loud grunt, York began to rise back
to his feet.

“Do it
again.”

His
brow creased as he tried to place the voice but another bolt raced through him.
His teeth clenched so tight that he tasted blood. His muscles tightened till
they burned. His fingers curled until they resembled claws. It fucking hurt. He
could feel the dark descend but fought it. He needed to speak to the female.
Needed to tell her…

****

“This
is the first fucking day,” a voice said. “The first day and I’ve already got
shit of this magnitude.” It was Brant. What was Brant doing in his room?

York
struggled to wake up properly. His body felt heavy. His muscles ached.

“Nothing
happened. We managed to contain it.” The same voice he couldn’t recognize
earlier. His memories came crashing back. The human female, Cassidy, he needed
to see her. Needed to explain. She was fucking terrified of him.

He
struggled to move, couldn’t open his eyes to save his fucking life. Fuck! He
tried again…and again…until finally he felt his finger twitch. What the fuck
had they done to him? His body felt used up.

“Fuck
that.” Brant sounded pissed. “I have two guards down and a terrified human.
I’ve had to pay her out for today even though only one male drank from her. She
may not stay for the duration. We’ve already lost one female today which would
mean delaying the start of the breeding program while we bring in a replacement.
Three females is the minimum.”

That
did it
. York tore open his eyes and lurched upright. The thought of another
male drinking from the little human had him feeling things he really shouldn’t.
It made him want to hit things. Made him want to hit other males…repeatedly.

What
the fuck was wrong with him?

It was
lust. Not blood-fucking-lust. Just normal regular garden variety lust. The
little human had fired his blood. He needed to explain what had happened
earlier. He’d hated seeing the horror in her eyes. She truly believed that he
was trying to hurt her, which was bullshit. Once she knew the truth, he could
leave and get on with his life. Namely, he would meet with the females lined up
for the breeding program. Once he was permitted to rut, he would fuck any
thoughts of the dark haired beauty right out of his mind. He would find a
compatible female within the program and he’d have the family he’d always
dreamed of.

Simple.

“Oh
look.” Brant smirked. “Someone decided to grace us with his presence.”

“Where
is she?” York had never been one for small talk, this was no time to start.

“The
human you almost killed?” Brant raised his eyebrows. “Somewhere safe and far a
fucking way from you.”

“I
don’t have bloodlust.” He worked hard to keep the growl from his voice. Brant
was his king and commanded respect. “I didn’t nearly kill her.”

Brant
all out laughed. “Like fuck you don’t have bloodlust. I watched the footage and
you couldn’t stop sucking on her neck. You actually got more and more agitated
as time went on. All that snarling was a sure damned sign. You had to be
dragged off of her and fought to get back. What was with the whole
mine
bullshit?” His face was hard and his eyes were as dark as night.

“I
don’t have bloodlust.” This time he growled.

“What
you have is a healthy dose of denial,” Gideon chimed in.

“You
fucking tasered me.” York gave the male a hard stare. “It hurt like a bitch and
was unnecessary.” By the sting on his left butt cheek, he knew exactly where
the darts had hit him.

“Our
tasers hit at twice the human level. You were knocked with 100,000 volts of
electrical energy and we had to shoot you twice to take you down.” York glanced
in the direction of the talking male. It was the guard who had touched Cassidy.
York growled at the fucker, exposing his fangs in warning. The male flinched
and took a big step back.

Damn
straight.

“Take
it easy.” Gideon said, looking concerned.

“I’m
really sorry but I am scrapping you from the program,” Brant said. “I know this
meant a lot to you. It’s just that we can’t risk—”

“I
don’t have bloodlust. Did I enjoy drinking from her? Hell fucking yes. Did I
like it when she bit me back? Abso-fucking-lutely. Did it send me over the
edge? No fucking way.”

“Like
Gideon said, you are in denial. I know bloodlust when I see it.” Brant turned
to leave. “This is not an argument. I’ve seen the footage.” He glanced back.
“You are out.”

“I’ll
prove it.” York snarled, unable to help himself.

Brant
stiffened and slowly turned. “It’s too fucking risky. Take a look at the
footage for yourself.” Brant shook his head. “You were out of control, York. I
won’t put another human back in the room with you. I won’t fucking do it.” His
king turned back and began to walk.

“I
don’t have to look at the footage. I know it looked bad.”

Brant
kept on walking.

“Despite
how it looked, I’m telling you that I know I don’t have bloodlust. Give me
another chance…please.” Fuck! How did he prove it? York swung his legs over the
bed.

“Where
do you think you’re going?” Gideon asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m
going to visit with the human.” He stood. Although he felt a bit stiff, he
already felt better than when he had first woken up. Advanced healing was a
wonderful thing.

“No,
you’re not.” Gideon said, putting himself in the way of the door.

“Don’t
do this,” York growled. “We both know you would lose.”

“There
are three guards outside your door, they all have a taser and will not hesitate
to take you the fuck out. You will stay in this room until the trial phase is over.
If you go anywhere near any of the humans once the program kicks off, I’m
putting your ass in the dungeon.”

“I
don’t have fucking bloodlust. Why won’t anyone listen to me?” Frustration
caused him to pound his chest on the last word.

“It
doesn’t fucking matter. It’s done. You’re out.” Gideon’s eyes narrowed on him.
“Why did you act the way you did?”

York
couldn’t answer the question. There was only one thing he knew for sure. “I
enjoyed touching and drinking from the human…end of fucking story. I don’t have
bloodlust.”

“Not
good enough. You don’t have a logical explanation, do you?” Gideon let his arms
fall to his sides.

“Not
one that would make sense to you.” York finally said when he could see Gideon
preparing to leave.

“Try
me.”

“I
wanted her okay? The need to rut her rode me hard.” He huffed out a frustrated
breath.

“There’s
a reason it’s called blood
lust
.” Gideon shook his head. “Stay here,
please.” The male implored him with his eyes for a beat or two before leaving.

York
snarled and punched a hole in the closest wall. This was a total fucking mess.
The thing that aggravated him the most was that he kept on seeing a replay of
Cassidy’s wide, petrified eyes, he could still hear her shriek in terror. Anger
and frustration coursed through him and he punched the wall a second time,
leaving a wide fissure from floor to ceiling. A large chunk of plaster lay on
the ground at his feet.

 

 

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