THE LADY’S NOT A VAMP

Copyright © TESSIE BRADFORD, 2010

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Rick sent Sandy a mental push to sleep. Her eyes fluttered closed and she
settled back on the couch. Good lord, she was beautiful. Her auburn hair
spread out on the pillows with a few errant strands touching her rounded,
lightly freckled cheeks. His gaze drifted to her ample breasts, slowly
rising and falling with her now-relaxed breathing, and his cock twitched
with appreciation. Cassandra Morley was no stick-thin-model type. Her
curves were lush and full, perfect to cradle a man as he worshiped every
inch.

Sandy was suffering from an excessive loss of blood. Anger boiled through
his veins. Whoever had violated her would answer to him. No honorable
vampire took blood without the consent of the giver. Of course the vamp
community had its share of criminals and rogues, but they weren’t welcome
in Deckton. As one of the two protectors in the area, it was Rick’s sworn
duty to find the lowlife bastard. Humans and vampires had lived in harmony
in the secluded area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for generations,
and it was going to stay that way.

Tony, we have a situation.

Wow, could you be a bit more specific? I’m a kind of busy at the moment.

As soon as his partner opened the mental link they shared, Rick knew his
timing sucked. Waves of lust rolled through him, along with the vivid image
of the woman lying spread beneath Tony, head thrashing in the throes of
ecstasy.

Sorry, man. Finish up what you’re doing. I can handle things on this end
until you get here.

Are you sure?

Rick had no doubt that if it were an emergency Tony would stop immediately
and come to his aid, and he loved him for it. He stifled a mental groan as
he felt Tony’s body racing toward orgasm.

Positive. He quickly severed their link.

“Damn, that man is hot,” he muttered, pressing a hand against his now-
raging hard-on. Mistakenly, he focused on Sandy and his balls literally
clenched with desire. “Oh, this is priceless. The sexiest woman on the
planet is lying completely vulnerable and within reach while the sexiest
man on the planet lets me into his lust-filled brain, and I can’t fuck
either one of them.” He ran a shaky hand through his hair and let out a
loud breath.

Rick went to the couch and gently lifted Sandy’s upper body. Sitting down,
he positioned her to lean back against his chest. He gently stroked her
hair. The waves were so soft and, lifting a piece to his face, smelled of
spring flowers. They would feel like heaven if they brushed lightly across
his abdomen while she… He quickly shook his head, trying to clear the image
as he pierced his wrist and brought his arm around to her mouth.

“Drink, honey, you’ll feel all better, I promise.” He gently cooed the
words out loud as he telepathically nudged her to comply. The second her
plump, moist lips touched the trickle of blood, she licked and suckled with
shocking vehemence. Rick howled and his hips jerked. Every nerve in his
body sprang to attention.

In his almost three hundred years, Rick had shared a lot of blood with a
lot of humans and vampires. It was always highly erotic—one of the many
benefits of being vampire—but he only felt this intense, pounding, physical
and emotional reaction when he was with one other living being.

He clutched Sandy more tightly and soared on wave after wave of euphoria.
The desire to sink his fangs deep into her and taste what he was sure would
be the sweetest of nectars threatened to overwhelm every rational thought.
He ran the tip of his tongue along her slender neck, stopping to feel her
pulse beat. His fangs ached. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he
had to stop, but he couldn’t, he needed just one more moment of heaven.

Jesus Christ, Rick! What the hell is going on?

Tony’s frantic interruption penetrated his lust-fogged brain. He pulled his
wrist from Sandy’s lips and quickly healed his puncture wound. With
trembling arms and legs, he fumbled off the couch, wobbled back to the
chair, dropped his head into his hands and struggled to breathe normally.

Damn, damn, damn…

I’m coming.

Rick sensed rather than saw Tony materialize in the room. When he laid his
hand on Rick’s shoulder, calming warmth followed. He lifted his head and
met Tony’s worried stare.

“I think we have more than one situation on our hands.” Rick watched
surprise and confusion play across Tony’s features as he took in Rick’s
passion-filled face and the unconscious woman on the couch.

“Why are we in our new neighbor’s house, with her all passed out and you
looking as if you’ve just experienced some kind of freaky sexual epiphany?
Beyond the obvious explanation, of course,” he added with his trademark
sarcasm.