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e through the film of his hair。 There was no fear in him； only a vast patience； an eagerness； and need。
I rose on all fours over him； straddling his body； and lowered my mouth to his skin。 I licked across his shoulders； but it wasn't enough。 I bit him； gently； and he made a small movement underneath me。 I bit harder； and a tiny sound escaped his lips。 I bit him hard enough that I felt his flesh fill my mouth； felt the grip of him； the meat of him。 I wanted to tear at his flesh； to literally feed from him。 The desire was almost overwhelming。 I collapsed on top of him； my cheek against his back； until I could control myself。 But the scent of his flesh； the smoothness of it under my cheek； the rise and fall of his breathing under my body； it was too much。 I would not eat him literally； but I had to feed。
I bit the flesh of his back； drew him into my mouth； and this time I did not stop until I tasted the sweet metallic taste of blood。 It was the beast that wanted to finish； blood was not enough。 But I raised from the wound and moved on。 I marked Nathaniel's back with near perfect imprints of my teeth； and more and more of them held blood。 It was as if the longer I did it； the harder it was to control。
The scent of fresh blood tightened my body； filled me with heat and longings that had to do more with food than sex。 I sat straddling his body looking down at his back； at my handiwork。 Blood ran in tiny drops from some of the wounds； but mostly it looked like tiny mouths pressed into his flesh。 And it wasn't enough。
I slid my hands down the back of his shorts； drawing my nails delicately along his flesh。 He writhed under the touch； started to rise from the bed； and I pushed him back down。 〃No； no；〃 I said； and he went still under my hands。
I slid his shorts down his body until he lay nude underneath me。 I spread his legs so I could kneel between them； lowered my mouth to that smooth； untouched skin； and marked him。 There was more flesh to hold in my mouth here； tight； but more plentiful。 I filled my mouth with him； drew blood in red； hot circles； until I heard him making small helpless noises。 And I knew they weren't pain noises。
I rose on my knees above him； gazed down at the wounds I'd laid on his body； and I wanted more。
I slid my satin top off and wiggled out of the shorts。 I laid my naked body on his and rolled along his back； his buttocks； rubbing the blood from the wounds on my body。 Nathaniel was saying； 〃please； please； please；〃 over and over under his breath。 His need was like a pressing weight； a thick cloud that hovered over us。 It was chokingly close； so overwhelming。 He wanted this so badly。 This； not sex； this。 He'd waited so very long for me to dominate him； to take him。
Micah had wanted me； but his had been the want of a relative stranger。 A man wanting an attractive and powerful mate。 But with Nathaniel it was different。 His desire had built over years； over a thousand intimacies； a thousand denials。 It had built until it was a great weight in his body； in his mind。 It was a thing that burdened him down； filled him up； and he could not be free of it。 I understood why Jean…Claude had said that we would feed off those we were already attracted to。 There was so much more to feed from with Nathaniel。 Our history together made it not just a feeding； but a feast。
I worked my way back down his body； biting along his flesh； not drawing blood now。 I lay with my cheek pressed against the curve of his buttocks； fighting with myself not to reach my hand around to the front of him。 Fighting the growing need。 I would not touch him； not like that。 When I could trust myself； I spread his legs as far as they would go； and bit down； marking areas untouched； getting ever closer； until I could see him pressed between his body and the bed。 I wanted to lick him there； roll his testicles in my mouth。 But I didn't trust myself。 I'd laid his back and buttocks bloody； I didn't trust myself； couldn't guarantee what I would do。 I moved my mouth back without touching him； and the pressure of his lust and mine rode like summer lightning； almost there； almost there。 I ran my tongue on the small ridge of skin just in back of his testicles； and Nathaniel cried out。
I sucked the skin； drew it into my mouth in a long line； working it with tongue and teeth； and the pressure broke over us like a storm released in one long thunderous burst。 He called my name； and I raked his thighs with my nails and fought with two different hungers not to bite that delicate bit of skin away from his body。 When it was over； I drew back from him just enough to see that I hadn't marked him； not even the mark of my teeth。 I lay on the bed； between his legs； one arm on his thigh； the other folded beneath me； listening to the pounding of my heart。
He lay quiet except for his still frantic breathing。 A sound raised me up to gaze over Nathaniel's leg； propping myself up on the smooth wounded flesh of his butt。
Jason was standing in the middle of the room with what looked like shackles in his arms。 His eyes were wide； his own breathing a little too fast。
I should have been embarrassed； but the ardeur was sated； and my beast lay curled inside me like a contented cat。 I was too well…pleased with myself to be embarrassed。 〃How long have you been watching？〃 Even my voice sounded lazy； content。
He had to clear his throat twice before he could say； 〃Long enough。〃
I climbed back up Nathaniel's body； until I was pressed against the length of him。 I laid my cheek against his face； and whispered； 〃Are you alright？〃
〃Yes。〃 It was a whisper。
〃I didn't hurt you？〃
〃It was 。。。 wonderful。 Oh； God； it was 。。。 better than I'd imagined it。〃
I raised up； stroking his hair； turning back to look at Jason； still standing in the middle of the floor。 〃Why didn't you try and stop me？〃
〃Jean…Claude was afraid you'd tear out Nathaniel's throat or something messy like that。〃 Jason's voice was returning to normal； only the slightest edge of uncertainty in it。 〃But I watched you。 Every time I thought I'd have to intervene； you drew back。 Every time I thought you were going to lose control； you didn't。 You rode the hunger； you tamed it。〃
I felt Jean…Claude waken； felt him take his first breath of the day。 He sensed me； too； felt me still lying naked on Nathaniel's body； smelled the scent of fresh blood； felt that I had fed； and fed well。 I felt him ing towards me； hurrying towards me； attracted to the scent of blood； and warm flesh； and sex； and me。
16
〃JEAN…CLAUDE'S ING；〃 JASON said。
〃I know；〃 I said。
Jason walked to the foot of the bed and gazed down at us； at me。 His eyes lingered on me。 Most of my body was hidden beside Nathaniel； but he looked at what was revealed。 If I hadn't had that glimpse into his heart； I'd have been mad； or told him to stop； but I didn't know what to say now。 He wanted me； just me for me； not forever； but just for a night； a day； a week； just for sometimes。 Jason's feelings for me might be the most unplicated of all the men in my life。 Unplicated had its attractions； even with the ardeur gone。 The moment I thought gone； I realized that wasn't true。 The hunger was just below the surface； like something simmering in a pot； you have to keep the heat low； or it boils over。 I'd had enough heat for one day。
Jason and I looked at each other。 I don't know what we would have said； but just then the door opened。 It was Asher。 His room was closer than the coffin room； but I hadn't expected him。 His golden hair lay in perfect waves around the shoulders of his robe。 Vampires didn't move in their 〃sleep〃 so no morning hair problems。 The robe was a rich； deep brown； open over matching pajama bottoms。 His chest was bare； and the robe flared around him like a cape as he strode into the room。
He came to stand beside the bed； but his gaze went to Nathaniel's body； to the blood。 〃I felt 。。。 〃 He raised his eyes to my face； and I peered at him over Nathaniel's body。 〃I felt the call。〃
〃I didn't call you；〃 I said。
〃The power did。〃 He dropped to his knees beside the bed。 〃You did this？〃
I nodded。
He reached out towards me； as if to touch my face； then jerked back。 It was like he'd touched something in the air in front of me that had startled him。 He raised his hand to his face and sniffed it； then licked it； as though there was something there to taste。
〃May I taste your pomme de sang？〃 It was French for apple of blood； and it was a nickname for a person that was a regular donor to a particular vampire。 Part of me wanted to argue with the phrase； but I had fed off of Nathaniel； even tasted his blood。 To demand a different phrase was splitting hairs a little too finely for my conscience。 We'd call a spade a spade。
〃Define taste。〃 I said。
〃Lick the wounds。〃
The suggestion should have bothered me； but it didn't。 I lowered my face enough to see Nathaniel's eyes。 〃Is it okay with you； Nathaniel？〃
He nodded； face still pressed to the bed。
〃Help yourself。〃
Asher lowered his mouth to Nathaniel's back； to a wound just above his waist。 He kept those ice blue eyes rolled up towards me； the way you would watch someone on a judo mat afraid that if you look away； they'll hurt you。 It reminded me of watching