Chapter 10

Meanwhile, unknown to Raymond during their conversation, the creature stopped by the door, its dark body shifting back to solidity in a dizzying surge of unexpectedly fleshed-out bones and skin. The creature pressed its back against the library door, deeper in the darkness, listening and hearing its enchanting phrases against the power of the proud library, where it would have been absolutely defended for the amber colour tinge by the exit light. It growled; it knew there was something in that mansion that could not be crossed. Like a wall of old magical veils.

Then it hissed with pain again. It closed its misted, dark eyes, focusing on where the pulsing was coming from. It was like ripples through the marble floor, vibrating under its feet, up through its bones, and placing a dull rumbling in its chest. When Raymond activated the ancient guard of the mansion, the misted creature vanished and never returned.

Using the safety protocol, Raymond burned an incense that had the blood of his lord, which protected the mansion from any harm.

But not with the invasion of Diana's beautiful dream.

Not long after, Diana went to Andrew's room, to his side of the bed, and smiled, knowing that she was about to seduce him so she could taste his blood. But even before she touched his arms and felt his cold skin, her heart broadened with worries—what if he doesn't like her? Don't want to?

"What are you doing here, Diana?" Andrew's voice had the questions she knew so well, but she pulled out of his arms, spinning around to glare at him. "Has it occurred to you that I've done a pretty good job of running my life so far without anyone telling me what to do? Now I don't want to run anymore?"

"I didn't think it would fly, but I thought I'd give it a shot."

He gave her a lopsided grin that tugged at her heart. Diana shook her head. Sadness lurked in the shadows in Andrew’s eyes. Always there. No one else seemed to see it, not even Raymond, but it never went away.

Something deep inside her responded; she saw it clearly. She needed to take away that look of lonely pain and replace it with something altogether different. "Someone has to take you in hand, Andrew. It may as well be me."

"Let's go look at the mansion."

"No way. If I go out there, you're going to try to seduce me, and I get weak every time you kiss me. I need you now."

"I'm going to seduce you whether we're in the house or out here, so you may as well be somewhere where you can run away." His voice roughened, a seduction in itself.

A tremor went through Diana, her body tightening with an instant response. It wasn't going to take much on his part. She felt she'd wanted him her entire life. Alone, in the middle of the night, when her life was empty and she felt empty, she dreamt of this one man, fantasising a thousand ways of pleasing him. Of having him for herself. Even when she'd cried at a perceived slight or careless word from him, she'd still dreamt of his hands stroking her body and his mouth taking control of hers.

Andrew groaned as he swept her into his arms. "You can't look at me like that and not expect me to take you up on it." The naked longing on her face was his undoing. He began walking her backwards up the path towards the double doors. He didn't give her time to think about it, kissing her over and over. Erotic, hot, and arousing kisses as he shoved her leather jacket off her shoulders so that it fell unnoticed on the walkway.

Suddenly, they were in her room. He opened the door and pushed her inside, following after her and crowding her up against the far wall, his arms caging her in as he leaned his weight against her, his mouth already devouring hers. Diana might not want his power, but she wanted his kisses, and there were other ways to make sure she didn't want to leave him.

He had tonight to convince her she belonged with him, and he meant to take every advantage, keeping her off balance and unthinking until she was so wrapped up in him she'd stay with him forever.

Behind them, the door swung closed, and she was his. How long had he waited for this moment? Years. He had wanted Diana for far too long, and his control was fast slipping away. Her mouth was dark, hot, and moist, and the taste and feel of her were wildly addicting. He needed her skin beneath him—all of it, her body open to his, wanting his. No one in his life that he could ever remember had been his alone, and he wanted Diana. This one woman. It was all he was asking and all he would take. This one gift for himself.

"I can't breathe, Andrew, I—" she whispered against his neck, her fingers biting into his shoulders. "I really can't."

"You don't have to breathe, Diana, I'll breathe for you," he answered, ravenous for her. He needed her the same way; he needed her to be willing to do anything for him. God help him; he needed her. That was all there was to it. Reality. He was locked away from the rest of the world in a dark place where nothing could touch him until there was Diana. She was his passport, his sunlight, and his one way out of solitary confinement—the dungeon that was his life. Diana, with her sexy mouth and sultry eyes and skin, cried out to be touched. If he didn't have her tonight, he wouldn't survive.

He kept her pinned against the wall, holding her in place with his mouth on hers, while he tossed his jacket aside and managed to get out of his shirt. He was quickly losing his ability to think clearly. There were so many sensations crowding in; his body was harder and fuller than it had ever been. He'd always approached sex as a science—the art of anatomy—at the top of his class. It was all about the right spots, the right touch, skill, and most of all, control. But everything was different with Diana.

"Don't say yes if you plan on walking away from me, Diana. I don't work that way." His voice was harsh and strained, even as he tugged the blouse over her head to toss it away from them. He didn't wait for her reply, already leaning into her to find her neck and throat with the heat of his mouth as he flicked away the catch on her bra. He slid his palms up her waist to cup the slight weight of her breasts in his hands, his eyes closing to savour the feel of her satiny skin. It was softer than he'd ever imagined.

Nothing he'd done before had prepared him for his reaction to her. His heart pounded with need, his body trembled with it, and air refused to pass through his lungs. Somehow, Diana managed to shatter his iron control. He kissed his way down her neck to the edge of the swell of her breasts before opening his eyes.

"You are so damned beautiful," he said. "Kick off your shoes and get rid of your jeans. Hurry, baby, I'm burning up."

Diana felt helpless to resist the command in his voice, the aching hunger that roughened his voice, or the intensity burning in the depths of his eyes. His hands were so sure on her body—no hesitation, no holding back, possessive and authoritative—as if he knew exactly what he was doing and where he was taking them.

She couldn't look away from his gaze as she managed to struggle out of her shoes and drop her hands to her jeans. Her breath caught in her throat. She was already throbbing for him, her desire past any point she'd ever been before. She just wanted to give herself to him and give herself up to the pleasures his mouth, teeth, tongue, hands, and body could give her. She wanted him for herself with almost desperation.

Holding his gaze, she slowly began to peel off her jeans and underwear, stepping out of them and letting them drop to the floor. Diana lifted her chin as his blue eyes shifted to inspect her naked body. His gaze slid over her small, pert breasts to the tucked-in waist and flat belly, then she remained still until she saw him still, his breath stopping abruptly, his tongue touching suddenly dry lips. She loved the shudder that went through his body and the lust that darkened his eyes when he saw that she was smooth and soft everywhere.

Andrew drew off his boots and socks and threw them a distance from them. "Now my jeans, Diana."

She couldn't tear her gaze from his as she did as he said. Each brush of her fingers against the bulge stretching the front of the material sent another shudder of pleasure through his body. Her entire body tingled, pulsed with life, and was aware only of him. Slowly, loving the expression on his face, she unzipped his jeans and put both hands into the waistband to begin pulling the denim down.

She had to work to get his jeans off, and in doing so, she found herself staring in awe at his heavy erection. The breath rushed from her lungs, and a soft moan escaped. His shaft jumped in response. She straightened slowly, leaning back against the wall, and allowed her gaze to drift over his naked body, inch by inch.

"I want to feel your hands on me," he said. "Now, Diana, wrap your fingers around me."

His voice was so hoarse and so rough that she felt a tremor run down her spine. She cupped his sac in her palms, slid her fingers in a long caress over him, shaped the thick shaft, and ran her fingertips over the engorged head. The heat was astounding.

At the first touch of her hands, he lost all control, and with a groan of pure carnality, he lowered his mouth to her nipple. A strangled groan escaped her as she arched her body into his, one hand stroking down the silken length of him while the other clutched his hair. Her breathing turned ragged. He used his tongue, stroking as he suckled, wringing a shocked gasp of pleasure from her.

His hand slid up the inside of her thigh, knuckles brushing the sensitive bare mound between her legs. Her skin was softer than he'd ever imagined. She was so moist and ready, and he hadn't even gotten started. "I could eat you alive, Diana."

She ran her hands over his chest, up to his neck, and pressed close to him. "Now you get hungry."

"Don't worry." Andrew lifted her easily into his arms. "I've got plans to take care of that." He laid her on the rug in front of the fireplace, his body stretched out beside hers, his hand covering the perfection of that soft mound. At his touch, her body jerked, and a soft cry escaped. He leaned over her to catch her next sob of excitement with his lips as he slowly sank one finger into her inviting, wet channel.

He loved her mouth. He'd dreamt of her mouth, the shape and fullness, and the way she could look so sultry one moment, pouting and laughing the next. He tugged at her lower lip with his teeth, his tongue shaping the curves and sucking lightly while she moaned softly. It aroused him even more to watch the expressions chasing across her face, the naked need, and the stark emotion. For him. All for him.

Diana couldn't look away from the harsh lines on Andrew's face. His expression should have been sculpted for all time—pure sensuality, a dark promise of pleasure. He swept his tongue over her nipple, a curling flame that seemed to sink through her skin and rush straight to her groin. Her muscles clamped around his fingers. He pressed kisses down her belly, alternating with licks and tiny teasing bites until she thrashed under his lips and teeth, thinking the pleasure was nearly unbearable.

He moved down farther, pushing her thighs apart and leaning close to nuzzle her bare mound. The sensations on the swollen nerve endings caused her to gasp and jerk her hips as another small cry escaped. Diana couldn't seem to catch her breath. He watched her, his gaze hot and his tongue tasting his own lips, before he settled between her thighs. The sensual look on his face sent her pulse careening out of control.

"Andrew, I don't think I can take this."

His small smile was all-knowing. "I think you're going to come apart in my arms, Diana. Just give yourself to me."

Control. He was telling her he wanted control. Diana closed her eyes, her fingers digging into the thick rug beneath her as he lowered his head and licked across her sensitive mound. Her entire body jerked. The hell with control. She was going over to the bad girl side. Nothing had ever felt so good. Nothing had ever made her feel so alive, so beautiful, so wanted, and so sexy. Or rather, no one ever had. Stretched out naked on the thick rug with Andrew between her thighs, she gave herself up to the sheer beauty of just feeling.