He forced her head up. “Do you want me to stop?”
She considered the question for a moment. “Yes and no. Yes, because my heart will ache when you set me aside. No, because my heart already aches when I think of never touching you again.”
He pressed his lips to hers. “Don’t think about the future, Kaj. Can’t we enjoy today? And I would never cast you aside. I just think we should let all of that sort itself out. Whatever happens, whatever we decide, I promise, I’ll take good care of you.”
“For as long as you want me,” Kaja said with a little bitterness.
Dante felt the ache she talked about. He didn’t know what she wanted. “Isn’t that all you can ask of a man, Kaja? I promise to be good to you even if things go wrong. You won’t ever want for anything again.”
“But you will not give me your heart.” It wasn’t a question.
He sighed. He could give orgasms all day long, but he had no idea how to deal with this. “I don’t think I have one, sweetheart. Can’t it be enough that I’ll give you what I have?”
She seemed to come to some inner decision. She pressed her lips to his. “Mate with me.”
Her lips were closed against him, but he took advantage anyway. He pressed her down and covered her small body with his. Dante knew he should feel triumphant and thrilled because the night before had been difficult for him. Yet all he could manage was a strange sense of awe. Her clear blue eyes were open as she looked up at him. He didn’t need to remind her what he wanted from her. She spread her legs willingly. There was so much honest, open desire in her face that Dante almost turned away. It was too much, but he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted a woman before. Looking down at her, he realized he’d just wanted sex before. Now he wanted Kaja. It was a disturbing feeling.
“What’s wrong?” Kaja asked. There was worry all over her face.
He pushed down his unwanted emotions. This was just sex. It was just sex between a vampire and his consort. It was the most natural thing in the world. He gave her his surest smile. “There’s nothing wrong, love. Everything is just right now. The only problem is these pants of mine. They seem to be in the way.”
He ground himself gently against her letting her feel his hard cock.
She sighed. “How do you do this to me? Already I feel some pleasure.”
“I told you, love. I know what I’m doing,” Dante replied. He felt surer now. The need to fuck was riding him hard. He wasn’t thinking about the future. He was thinking about how damn good it would feel to pound away at his wife.
His hands reached down to unbutton his trousers. He didn’t want to take the time to get out of them. He’d just shove them down enough to free his cock and then work his way inside. The second time could be slow. They had all day.
Kaja stopped suddenly, throwing her hands to his chest and pushing him away.
“Don’t, baby,” Dante said, not giving an inch. “I promise I won’t hurt you.”
“Dante, something is coming,” she said, trying to get up.
“Yes,” he coaxed. “You can come first. Then I’ll come, and then I’ll rest, and we can both come again.”
The tent flap opened, and Meg ran in. She turned slightly when she saw the erotic scene before her, but she didn’t leave.
“Dante, there’s an ogre coming,” she said breathlessly. She had her gun in her hand. “He’s attacking the marketplace.”
In the distance, Dante heard the screams begin. He rolled off his bride and fastened his pants.
That ogre was going to suffer, he vowed.
Chapter Seven
The world seemed filled with chaos. Every sense Kaja had was on overload as Dante tossed back the door to the tent and walked through. His magic went to work. The shirt he was wearing grew a hood that he pulled up to cover his head. A strange black object flowed over his face, covering his beautiful eyes.
Screams filled the air along with a terrible roar that seemed to come from every angle. Kaja could sense a predator nearby. And he had a very strong odor. Whatever attacked the small village reeked of decay.
Rhys ran up to them, his hair in disarray. His eyes were flared, and he’d lost his cap. “You must run, Mr. Dellacourt. And my queen. You must run for your lives.”
“Which way? He sounds like he’s coming from all sides.” Dante was frowning, his face set in fierce lines. He held his hand out to her. “Stay close to me, Kaja.”
She moved to the First’s side. No. Dante. He was Dante. And she was practical. “We need only be faster than the little ones. This beast will dine on them first. We should keep Cara close when we find her. I can run very fast. I will carry her.”
“No, miss,” Rhys said. “I have a place to hide, but it is very small. You must save yourselves—all of you. I cannot hide until I find my wife.”