The Vampire's Kiss (3 page)

“You like this, sweetheart?” His lips were an inch from hers.

“I love.” Memphis panted and moaned as she clutched the ass of the man whose cock was thrusting piston-like in and out of her cunt.

Heat raced through her body as her legs wrapped around his waist.

She didn’t want to miss a second of wild, hard, hot sensations that were controlling her. Memphis wanted everything he could give her.

“Don’t stop…please don’t stop.”

“Kiss me,” her lover growled against the soft flesh of her neck.

“Never.” For some indefinable reason, Memphis knew if she kissed this man she would lose what was left of her control completely.

“Never’s a long time, sweetheart.” He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “You belong to me now.”

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“I belong to myself.” Even as she murmured the words, somewhere deep inside, Memphis Rower knew this man would change her life.

Richard laughed at her. “Playing hard to get?”

“You’re on me and in me. I’m not playing. You’ve got me.” She was full of pulsating cock and Memphis loved it.

His hands framed her face. “No, you’re right, sweetheart. This is not a game between us.” Richard trailed one long finger down her neck. “May I taste you?”

Memphis knew what he meant. He wanted her blood. Her eyes went to his. She saw the raw passion in them. “Um…” She was a woman who trusted few people.
And yet I want to trust him. Why is
that?

“You decide.” Richard’s dick stilled inside her.

“Will it hurt?” It was a dumb thing to ask as she wasn’t scared of pain. It was more that Memphis was suddenly aware she was making a commitment to something.

“I’m told not.”

She raised one eyebrow. “Is that because you’re usually inside a woman when you do it and she’s too dazzled by cock to think straight?”

“Are you dazzled by me?” Richard smiled at her.

Oh, yeah.
His smile lit up her heart and she wanted to give him everything. “Sorta…kinda…”

“May I?”

There was really only one answer. Her soul cried out for total possession. “Yes.”

“Thank you.” Richard’s mouth moved down and fastened on the flesh of her neck.

To Memphis, it felt like a really intense love bite as her flesh was sucked into his mouth. Richard’s cock was still inside her body as she felt the fangs pierce her skin. She trembled as a slight, sharp pain made her whimper. Memphis held him close as his lips started a
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sucking rhythm that his cock moved in time to. She groaned and pressed closer to Richard. At that moment Memphis wanted him to consume her. He was part of her as she was with him. It was a feeling of being whole that she had never experienced before.

Memphis looked down at his lips against her throat. She wanted to kiss him so badly and yet she didn’t. Something told her it was not time to yet. “This is probably too late to ask now, but will this make me a vampire?” It always seemed to happen that way in the movies.

But then, this was real life. Or was it? Nothing like this had ever happened before so she had no yard stick to measure the experience by.

Richard lifted his mouth and laughed. “You’re adorable.”

Even with her own blood on his lips he was the most stunning man she had ever seen. “And you’re beautiful.” Her hands caressed his face. “Suck me. Fuck me.”

“For you anything, Mem sweetheart.” Once more his mouth was on her neck and his cock ramped up and started slamming into her harder than before.

Each thrust pushed against her clit sending a wave of pleasure through her body. She whimpered and held on not wanting the feeling to end. The friction of his cock was driving her wild. Memphis arched her hips to his, needing to come with him and against him. Spirals of intense pleasure radiated in her pelvis and up her spine.

“Oh, R-R-Richard…” As Memphis came she screamed out his name.

She felt his own release rush hot within her body. They trembled and shook against each other. It was wild and passionate and she wanted to do it all again. When Richard collapsed on her, Memphis gratefully took his weight and caressed his back. This was more than just sex. Never before had she wanted to hold the man who had taken her.

Never before had he wanted to stay in her arms after. Richard lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “’Want to kiss me now?”

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“One day.” Memphis knew she would, but now was not the time.

I need to know more.

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“I haven’t kissed her yet. She’s still in bed sleeping.” Richard raked a frustrated hand through his hair. He was torn between rushing upstairs and demanding she kiss him so he could taste the sweetness of her lips, and wanting to sink down beside her in the bed and just hold her until he could work out what he felt. No woman had ever affected him this way. He wanted to both fuck her and to cherish her.

It was the last thought that really mystified him. Richard never allowed himself to have feelings for any woman, let alone want to cherish one. While he adored all things female, women were to play with and enjoy. He loved making them squirm and sigh and come shivering against him. But cherish?
This is so confusing
.

“Why haven’t you kissed her?” Polly looked amused.

“She won’t let me.” That was the thing that really got to Richard.

He never had to ask before. He was always been given what he wanted.

Polly burst out laughing. “Good for her!”

“But we had sex.” Even as he said the words, Richard knew he wanted more than that with Memphis. A strong, alien sense of need had gripped him.

“Even better for her. She gets to come and drive you mad,”

observed Polly with glee. “I believe I’m going to like her a lot.”

The problem was Richard also liked her more than he planned to.

“Why won’t she kiss me?” This was no longer about ownership of the house. He wanted Memphis to freely kiss him without any pressure from him.
Sure, maybe I’ll get the house but I want her kiss more.

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“What annoys you most? Is it that you need to kiss her to gain the house or that she refuses to obey you because you demand it?” Polly’s eyes were keen on his. “That’s it, isn’t it? She can’t be pushed into what you want. Sex is one thing, but there’s a real intimacy behind a kiss.”

“Sex is intimate,” Richard growled in defense.

“Body parts banging together in search of a climax is not the same as a kiss. That’s a sweet and delicious need that requires total trust and belief in the other person. Anyone can have sex.”

“When did you last have sex, woman?”

“That’s none of your business,” Polly snapped.

“Good grief! You’re blushing.” This was a side to Polly that he had never seen. Richard was fascinated. His housekeeper always appeared to be in control.
What is her secret? And does it have to do
with a man?
But who?
No male to his knowledge had ventured into the house since she and Alaric had arrived.

Polly took a deep breath as if to control herself. “The point is you have to earn her trust.”

“How do I do that?” Trust was not something Richard had much experience in. Sure he had lived over a century but that was due mainly to living on his wits.

“Get to know Memphis.”

“Please enlighten me further.” Richard seduced women. They fell for him without much effort on his part. How did someone get to know another? And would that result in the kiss he now craved?

“Listen to her. Ask her questions about herself. Show her that you care.”

He blew out a sigh. “I don’t know if this house is worth it.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But she is and you’re doing it for her and yourself.”

Richard bowed his head at the truth of her words.

Bloody hell. I’ve finally fallen for a woman.

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* * * *

Polly Patrick watched the vampire walk back up the stairs to the woman she knew would be his downfall.

“But in a nice way,” she murmured to herself as she headed to the kitchen.

Everyone on the planet had one person they could not walk away from. Memphis was his. It was amusing to Polly to see both Alaric and Richard, mighty, powerful vampires, felled by mortal women.

“And they both need to be taken down a peg.” While neither of them scared her, Polly knew others could be dazzled by them into doing whatever the vampires wanted. That usually meant sex. From the minute they set foot in Maverick House over twelve months ago, Polly had been determined not to give in to their sexual allure. She knew how vampires traded on female weakness. They were stunning men and amazing lovers who could drive a woman mad with lust and need.

“Been there, done that,” Polly said to herself. “And learned a bloody hard lesson.”

Never again would she give in to need like that. But neither man would ever know that. Polly Patrick kept her secrets to herself. She was answerable to no one but the house.

“And then one else.” The defiance in her voice barely hid the fear she felt.

When she had been first called to Maverick House, Polly hadn’t been inclined to answer. She had her own life as a witch and dealing with magic other than her own didn’t appeal to her. Polly had been running a nice little herbal practice in the trendy inner Brisbane suburb of Paddington. She provided ancient remedies to those who needed them. She stung the rich for lots of money to buy her potions and lotions and gave it to the poor for free. Polly had been content and at peace. No one had known here true identity and that suited her.

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There were times when being a witch was tiring and living a simple life as a shopkeeper was pleasant.

But Maverick House had demanded her presence as it had her female relations and she knew it was pointless to fight it. Her great aunt Agatha had explained it to her like this.

“The House is like its name. It answers to no one and does as it
wants.”

Polly had not been willing to accept this fait accompli “But surely
we have a choice?”

Agatha had shaken her head. “No, no we don’t.”

“But how? Why?”

“A deal was struck many years ago to save the life of one of our
ancestresses from the witch trials that were happening in Great
Britain at that time. She was sentenced to be burnt at the stake. To
avoid this, our kin promised that all descendants would obey any call
that was issued from Maverick House. Ever since, we have obeyed all
commands if summoned. I myself was the housekeeper for a short
time.”

“What happened?”

Agatha shook her head. “I cannot say. I promised.”

“Who owns this house?

“Vampires.”

Polly was not shocked. Witches rarely were. She knew many
paranormal beings roamed the earth. “So we have to do what they
want?” Never in her life had Polly followed a command and she
didn’t plan to now.

“Yes. We must do as the house wants.”

“But it’s an inanimate object. It does not have the ability to make
me do anything I don’t want to.” Polly was surprised any of her kin
had gone along with this. From the stories that had been passed down
to her, Polly understood them all to be strong-minded women with
demands of their own.

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“The house is magic. It has the soul of the very first Lindquist
vampire trapped within its walls. He was one of the most powerful
beings who ever lived.”

Polly snorted at this. “Can’t have been that powerful if he got
himself trapped in the walls.”

“Even vampires make mistakes. He chose the wrong battle to
fight.”

“He who?”

“Aran Lindquist.”

“Well, I don’t care who he is. I’m not doing as bidden.”

Agatha shook her head. “You will have no choice, my dear.”

And Polly found that out herself. Maverick House had called her in her sleep over two years ago. At first she had fought it. Polly had used every skill she had as a witch to create a spell that would deflect the call, but none had worked. She quit sleeping, dosing herself with a concoction of herbs to keep her awake, to fend off any demands placed on her. But every night the house called to her.

And then one night, when she was tired and worn out, the man had appeared in her bedroom. At first Polly thought she had been hallucinating when the tall blond male appeared. His clothes were like something out of an old Hollywood epic of
Camelot
. While it was not usual for her to see spirits, this one was something different to the norm. This one had the look of one who could not be spelled away by a potion.

“You cannot fight me, Polly. I will win.” He walked toward her, his stride strong and confident. The closer he got the more real and full-bodied he became. “I always win.”

Polly stood her ground. “Not this time.” She knew instinctively who this was. Polly wondered how he had escaped the walls that held him.

He answered her unspoken words. “From time to time, if it’s important enough I can bargain with the house to free me. Whatever penalty it imposes is worth the moment of freedom.”

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“I will not do as you or anyone else says.”

“It is your duty to obey me, Polly.” His smile was one of great certainty.

Polly saw the fangs. They didn’t repulse her. She knew too many supernatural beings to be horrified by the unusual. His being in her home gave her a chance for information that she may be able to use to save herself.
Get to know thy enemy
. She had a feeling her survival and sanity depended on it. “Who are you?”

“I am Aran Lindquist, your master.”