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He groaned, his body seizing as pleasure washed over him. He
knew she was flying every bit as high as he was, deep as he was in her mind,
her body, her soul. He rejoiced in the joining that was as complete as they
could make it. Never would he be alone again.

After long moments of bliss, they slowly floated back to
earth. She kissed his neck, sucking lightly as he licked her wounds closed with
a few final, nuzzling nips. She followed his example, healing him with her
tongue, using her new powers without really thinking about them, having learned
from his mind how to wield a few of the lesser powers of her new form.

“Are you okay?” He knew she was dealing well from the merging
of their minds, but he wanted to hear her say it.

She nodded, nuzzling his jaw. She was soft in his arms, and
very distracting, but he wouldn’t be distracted. This was too important.

“
Mon amour
?”

She made a humming sound of satisfaction deep in her throat
that threatened to make him hard again. He fought against it until he was sure
she was okay with all that had transpired. He drew away, taking some of his
weight off her and was slightly amused when she refused to let him go far. He
took it as a good sign.

“Kelly? My heart?”

She lifted one sleepy eyelid to look at him. “Can’t you see
I’m basking here?”

He grinned. “That good, eh?”

“Don’t get a swelled head. I’ll admit the opening round was
fantastic, but I have yet to learn if that was just a fluke.”

He chuckled at her words. It had been centuries since a
lover had teased him so brazenly. Never had he been with a woman he’d taken
into his heart and his very soul. She was so special to him, it hurt, but in
the best possible way.

“I can assure you, that was no fluke.”

“Oh, yeah?” She arched an eyebrow. “Prove it.”

He growled and pushed his newly awakened cock back into her.
“Never dare me,
ma petite
.
You’ll find I’m always
up to a challenge.”

“
Mmm
, sounds like a good quality in a man.”

“Not just a man,” he panted just a bit as he started to
stroke his way inside her, “your mate.”

“Is that the same as husband?”

He slowed, looking down into her eyes. He knew how important
it was to her. He hadn’t wanted to push her, but yes, he did want her to accept
him as her mate and her husband according to the traditions in which she’d been
raised.

“If you want it to be. I was going to wait for you to get
used to the idea of me before I sprang the question.”

“Popped.”

“What?”

“Popped the question. That’s the proper phrase.”

“You can correct my English at a time like this?” He stroked
deep to emphasize his point.

She nodded against his shoulder, kissing any skin she could
reach. “I was a school teacher before I started working for Lissa and Atticus.
Correct use of language is important.”

“I had no idea I was joining my life to such a stickler.”
Satisfaction purred through his voice as he picked up the pace, moving deep
within her, though still in a leisurely way. “You’ll be able to teach our
young.”

She pulled back, staring at him with hope burning in her
eyes.

“We can have children? I mean, I thought—”

He sorted through the confusion of her thoughts. “Ah, I see.
You thought our kind could not reproduce in the traditional way. It is rare,
I’ll admit, but possible between a truly mated pair. I suspect Atticus and
Lissa may have the first announcement, but we will not be far behind. I want to
have a child with you, Kelly, if you want it too.”

She pushed at his shoulders again. “Then you damn well
better pop the question, buster. I will not have our baby without a ring on my
finger.”

He laughed with the pleasure. “You’re an old-fashioned
woman, I see. That’s good, for I am an old-fashioned man. I’ve made you mine in
the way of my kind, but you’re right, we should observe the traditions of
humans. You will marry me.”

“Stop.”

Chapter Thirteen

His smug tone grated on her nerves. She found the strength
to push him off her, immediately missing the feel of his hardness inside her,
but needing to set something straight. He seemed surprised that she would use
her new strength against him. The hurt look on his face almost stopped her, but
dammit, she was going to have a real proposal, not some half-assed order to
marry him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I want a real proposal, Marc. I won’t be ordered to marry
you like some faithful dog.”

His tension eased, but he was puzzled, she could tell. She
was getting better at reading his thoughts, though it still freaked her out a
little bit.

“What do you wish of me,
ma petite
? I will do
anything for you.”

She liked the sound of that. She smiled as she sat up on the
bed.

“Get on your knees.”

“Now that sounds interesting.” His devilish smile lit the
room, and she chuckled.

“Hold that thought. I want a traditional proposal.”

“Ah, I see. And are most ‘traditional proposals’ carried out
in the nude?”

“Among nudists, I suppose they are, but this will do for us.
I want a moment. A question and an answer. Is that too much to ask?”

He kissed her playfully on the nose before going down on one
knee next to the bed. He took her hand in his, kissing it as he looked up into
her shining eyes.

“You could never ask too much of me, my love. But now, I
believe, I have something to ask of you.”

She sighed as she watched him. He was a beautiful, powerful
man. How did she get so lucky to have a man like this want her forever?

“Will you marry me, Kelly?”

Even though she knew it was coming—had demanded it, in
fact—the question still took her breath away. Tears formed behind her eyes as
she looked down at him, holding her hand so gently, with a hopeful light in his
compelling dark eyes. She could feel the love shimmering in the air and in the
space that joined their two souls. He loved her. She knew it soul deep, as much
as she loved him.

Nothing would ever tear them apart.

“Yes.” Happy tears ran down her cheeks. “I love you so much,
Marc.”

Her whisper set him free and he rose, standing at the side
of the bed before her, gloriously nude and fully aroused. He was so beautiful
it made her eyes hurt. She loved him more than life, more than anything.

“Show me,” he whispered, cupping her nape under her hair and
drawing her head close to his straining erection. He must’ve been listening to
her thoughts because all she could think of as he stood before her was tasting
him.

She moved forward without further urging, though he kept his
hand at the back of her neck to guide her exactly where he wanted her. She let
him lead, since her experience in this area was minimal and she wanted to know
exactly what he liked.

She took him into her mouth, relishing the salty, primal
taste of him. He groaned, and she felt her female power, daring to look up at
him from under heavy eyelids. His taste was like a drug, his mesmerizing eyes
focused on her, hot, smoldering and intense. She felt empowered that she could
give him such pleasure. She felt it through their connection and reveled in her
ability to please him as he’d pleased her.

“Suck harder,
ma petite
. Use your teeth.” His words
hissed out between his own lengthening fangs and the thought of it enticed her.

Vampires seemed to enjoy the slight rasp of their lover’s
fangs in a way that she imagined would frighten off most human males. With an
inner smile, she felt her teeth grow just enough to make her oral explorations
of his hard cock…interesting. She scraped gently downward and licked his tight
balls.

“
Merde
! I’m going to come in your mouth if you don’t
stop.”

She didn’t heed the warning. She wanted to taste him fully,
to know she’d given him pleasure. She focused on that thought so he could read
it through their linked minds. His balls drew up and his cock tightened before
he spurted down her throat.

She loved the flavor of him, so unlike the few mortal males
she’d been with in this way. The feel of his emotions washing over her
heightened the experience, his lust driving her own higher and feeding her
senses. She swallowed every bit, licking her lips as he trembled in the
aftermath.

When he calmed enough, he sank to the floor and drew her
close. He was on level with her breasts and he paused a moment to salute them with
his tongue before dragging her head down to his for a salty, wondrous kiss.

“You amaze me,
mon coeur
.”

“I amaze myself sometimes.” She tilted her head, smiling at
him. “I’m glad you liked it.”

“Liked it? Such terms are too insipid to describe how it felt,
but it’s your turn. Get on your knees,
ma petite
.”

She eyed him suspiciously, but did as he asked, moving to
balance on all fours in the middle of the huge bed. He positioned himself
behind her, entering her aching channel in one deep lunge that stole her
breath. He began to move, driving her higher and higher with each impossibly
deep stroke. One devious hand reached beneath her to tease her folds and the
nub hidden within, and while she was gasping, he brought his other hand down in
a hard smack against her fleshy ass.

She jumped and squealed, totally unprepared for the loud
sound or sharp feel of his hand. None of her prior lovers had ever spanked her,
but that didn’t mean she hadn’t thought about it. That Marc would pick that
particular fantasy out of her mind thrilled her. She could tell from the pure
male satisfaction purring through their linked minds that he had enjoyed it
every bit as much as she did.

“Have you been a bad girl?”

She smiled devilishly as she turned her head to look at him
over her shoulder. He was so magnificent, he made her want things she’d never
dared dream of before.

“I think I’ve been a very bad girl.”

He slapped her ass with a reproving look. “How do you
address me?”

She drew a blank, so he tried a different tack after giving
her another swat.

“What is my title?”

Understanding dawned as she smiled again. “I’ve been a very
bad girl…Master.”

He growled in satisfaction as he moved more forcefully
within her. He pounded into her deep, hard and fast, while raining hard,
exciting smacks down on her delectable ass. She wouldn’t last long, he knew
from their linked minds, and he planned to come with her when she exploded, but
he needed one more affirmation first.

“You once said you call no man ‘master’. Did you lie to me?”

She gasped as she neared her peak. “Only you, my love. Only
you, my Master.”

He let go then, jetting hard into her as she came around him
with a scream of delight. Her ass was a lovely shade of pink he would remember
always.

Long moments later, they drifted in the afterglow. He
stroked her hair as she snuggled at his side.

“You’ve never been spanked before, have you,
ma petite
?”

She shook her head. “I thought you’d lifted that fantasy
from my mind. You mean you didn’t know?”

He shrugged. “It was a lucky guess. So far you’ve been my
perfect match in every way. No doubt you will like all the things I choose to
do with, and
to
you.”

“I can’t wait.” Her voice was teasing, but her eyes were shy
as she tucked her head into the curve of his neck.

“We have lifetimes of discovery ahead of us. First, we’ll
get married and make our relationship legal in the eyes of your friends. Then
we can work on the rest…for eternity.”

About the Author

A life-long martial arts enthusiast, Bianca enjoys a number
of hobbies and interests that keep her busy and entertained such as playing the
guitar, shopping, painting, shopping, skiing, shopping, road trips, and did we
say…um…shopping? A bargain hunter through and through, Bianca loves the thrill
of the hunt for that excellent price on quality items, though she’s hardly a
fashionista. She likes nothing better than curling up by the fire with a good
book, or better yet, by the computer, writing a good book.

To learn more about Bianca D’Arc, please visit
www.biancadarc.com
. Send an email to
Bianca at
[email protected]
.

Look for these titles by Bianca D’Arc

Now Available:

Dragon Knight Series

Maiden Flight

Border Lair

Ladies of the Lair

The Ice Dragon

Prince of Spies

FireDrake

Tales of the Were

Lords of the Were

Caught by Cupid Anthology

Forever Valentine

I Dream of Dragons Vol. 1

Wings of Change

Resonance Mates

Hara’s Legacy

Davin’s Quest

Jaci’s Experiment

One and Only

Sweeter Than Wine

Coming Soon:

Brotherhood of the Blood

Phantom Desires

A deadly crash changes the fate of one lonely vampire.

One and Only

© 2008 Bianca D’Arc

A
Brotherhood of the Blood
Story.

Vampire enforcer Atticus Maxwell stands at the edge of his
own oblivion…until the faint heartbeat of a desperately wounded mortal woman
calls him back. The terrible crash that almost took both their lives has
brought him a charming, intriguing woman who just might give him a reason to
live again.

Lissa was headed for a conference at a resort in a
last-ditch attempt to find a job. Instead, on a rain-slick mountain road that
almost killed her, she finds the love of her life. A love with the most
eligible, reclusive vineyard owner in Napa Valley—one that isn’t quite human.

No barrier—not even breaking the news to Lissa’s
friends—seems too great to hold back their blossoming love. Until they learn
the accident that brought them together wasn’t an accident at all, but a murder
attempt by an unknown enemy.

Atticus saved Lissa once. Can he keep her that way in the
face of a renewed threat?

Enjoy the following excerpt for
One and Only:

When Lissa Adams woke, darkness engulfed her. Straining to
see in the absence of light, her breath accelerated as she panicked. Her
apprehension only grew when she realized another person lay beside her. A soft
dripping sound echoed through what she supposed was some kind of underground
chamber or cave. That’s what it sounded like—and smelled like. She felt rough
rock and scattered grains of sandy dirt beneath her palms.

She knew the mountains were dotted with such places, but she
couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here. Or why she was so groggy.

She tried to sit up, but the effort it required nearly
blacked her out again. The being beside her stirred at her movement, and she
felt more than saw the person rise to lean over her.

“Where are we?”

“I moved us to shelter.”

Rich and warm, his voice bathed her senses in a dark and
dangerous way.

Sexy, she thought. She’d heard that voice before.

It was accompanied by flashing eyes and chiseled features. A
man’s face flickered through her mind. She’d been fascinated by him and
instantly captivated. She remembered thinking he was quite possibly the most
striking man she’d ever seen.

“You stepped on my foot.”

He chuckled at her innocent observation, setting her insides
aflame.

“Indeed. But that was more than twenty-four hours ago.”

He stroked a gentle finger down her cheek and she shivered,
not in fear, but in surprising arousal. If just the brush of his finger could
elicit this response, she wondered what he could do if he really tried.

That thought stopped her cold. Men like this one didn’t
usually go for women like her. Better to focus on the peculiar situation she
found herself in than daydream about her rescuer.

“What happened? I remember the bus swerving…”

“Ah, yes. Just before we rolled down the side of the
mountain. You hit your head very hard, I’m afraid. That’s probably why you’re
still a bit fuzzy.”

“Where’s everyone else?”

He paused only slightly. “Dead.”

Her breath caught in shock as her mind raced. “How did we…?”

“Relax, sweetheart.” He moved closer. “I pulled you from the
wreckage and found shelter, but I was badly damaged in the accident as well.
I’m sorry for it, but I need your essence to speed my healing.”

“My what?” Hot breath bathed her ear as he settled closer to
her side. His strong arms enveloped her shoulders as his mouth stroked over the
line of her jaw and lower.

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you, but I need your blood,
and I’m too weak to cloud your mind. You’ll have to trust me.” His words
whispered against her shivering skin. He dragged sharp teeth back and forth
over her jugular as if savoring the moment before the feast.

She barely had time to take in his words before he struck. A
piercing pain registered only for a flash, followed by the greatest bliss she
had ever experienced. Intensely sexual, it engulfed her in a way she’d never
known. He sucked at her neck, licking at the essence of her, swallowing like a
thirsty man in the desert. Yet reverence and gentleness communicated through
his tender handling of her bruised and battered body.

Oddly, she didn’t object. She knew she should be afraid, but
an intense arousal overwhelmed her. She didn’t have the strength to voice even
the faintest protest.

He drank for what seemed a long time, his hands moving over
her body, molding her breasts and stroking her skin. Only then did she realize
she was naked. She gasped as his long fingers stroked down between her legs,
angling inward, invading her most intimate places as his mouth caressed the
tender skin of her throat.

He knew his way around a woman’s body. Those skilled fingers
knew just where to stroke, just where to pinch to drive her excitement to the
highest possible point. She teetered on the precipice as his fingers slid in
the arousal he drew from her body. His mouth sucked at her neck, his breath
feathering through her hair, his pleasing masculine scent teasing her senses.
And the feel of him. He was hot and heavy against her, hard as only a man could
be and muscular in a way she hadn’t expected.

One hand cupped her breast, teasing her nipple as his
fingers finally pierced the imaginary boundary, sliding inside her, where few
men had ever been. But this man—though she’d known him only a few minutes,
really—was like no other man she’d ever encountered. He fired her senses like
no other, sending slick, hot arousal to her core. Even the thought that he was
some sort of dark creature out of legend couldn’t stop the most intense sexual
experience of her life.

That one tantalizing finger pumped into her, stretching her.
He added a second digit as she whimpered in need. She hadn’t had sex in a long
time. She was tight, but her body remembered pleasure, and this man—this
vampire!—proved himself a master at manipulating her responses. He owned her
pleasure.

Two long fingers stroked within, his thumb teased higher,
rubbing in perfect counterpoint. She came with a wrenching jerk of hips that
threatened to dislodge him, but his great strength kept her easily in his
clutches. He continued the stimulation, extending her orgasm for long, intense
moments while his upper body covered hers, his lips feeding hungrily from the
small incisions he’d made in her neck. The pleasure washed over her in the most
intense waves she’d ever known and right then she didn’t care if he was a
vampire, werewolf or Indian chief. All she knew was his mastery. And she
already knew she wanted more.