Free Awakened by Virna Depaul Page B

he found her behavior arousing.
    “That’s enough,” he said in a low voice, turning around.
    “I thought you liked to watch,” was the petulant reply.
    Vladimir gave a shrug. “Not now. Not what you are doing, anyway. Your pleasure is too selfish.”
    “Sorry.” She withdrew the toy and set it aside.
    “Hurt yourself for me. That is what I want to see.”
    Tamsin sighed.
    “Show me your nails.”
    She raised her hands with palms toward him. “I had them done today. They’re extremely sharp.” The long, perfectly polished fingernails were lined on the inside with crescents of surgical steel that shone like silver.
    “Good.”
    Tamsin lifted her breasts, holding them tightly. She dug the steel crescents into her skin, watching his eyes widen. A few tiny drops of blood appeared. Vladimir moved quickly to pull her hands away and force them behind her back, licking up the red drops, eager for more, leaning over her. She fell back, playing helpless. The performance was reasonably effective. He sat and pulled her onto his lap, stroking her neck until her head fell back, exposing a pulsing vein in her throat.
    The towel around his hips loosened and fell off. His long, rapidly stiffening cock was equally exposed—and pulsing harder.
    Vladimir’s lips drew back. He sank long fangs into the vein, sipping with restraint. One of them had to hold back. Tamsin relished the languor that followed a loss of blood, a little too much. Her soft body pressed against him, writhing with pleasure. His hands slid under her bare bottom, avidly fondling her squirming buttocks as he drank a little deeper. He closed his eyes.
    The blonde swimmer in his mind floated away.
    Barrett heard a muffled splash. She raised her head to look around, seeing only the disturbed surface of the water. Strong hands grabbed her ankles and forced her legs down. She kicked free, frightened.
    Nick’s head popped up next to her. He swam in place, smiling. Barrett splashed him until he laughed.
    “Sorry. I couldn’t stand it another second. You looked like a water goddess.”
    “I thought you didn’t have trunks.”
    His shoulders and chest were bare and gleaming with water. He splashed her back when she tried to look down.
    “You wish, Barrett. Had to keep on the jeans.”
    She swam away, letting him follow. They circled each other in the water for a minute or so.
    “You okay?” he asked softly.
    “Yes.”
    They played around in the water for several minutes, then drifted together. One minute she’d been swimming by herself, and the next Nick was here with her, playing with her, bringing back memories of how good it had felt to be with him, both in bed and out. She really had missed him. So much. “I’m tired,” Barrett whispered.
    “Put your arms around my shoulders,” Nick instructed. “Just ride. Don’t help.”
    She hesitated briefly, knowing she was being weak. Reminding herself that she’d ended things with him for a reason—to protect her heart—and that she’d only come to him so he’d help her find Jane. She sighed. Just thinking Jane’s name made her feel small and powerless.
    She didn’t want to feel that way. For now, she didn’t want to think of anything else but her and Nick. Almost defiantly, she reached out and clung to him, feeling the power in his muscled back, keeping her legs free of his strong kicks. It was bliss to let him take over and go in circles in the warm water. When they were nearly at the ladder, he pushed her arms off and rolled so that they were face to face but still floating. He brushed away the wet blond silk from her cheeks and kissed her. Again and again.
    Nick pulled back, breathing hard. “I want you, Barrett. I know it’s not a good time, but it’s been over a year. A whole fucking year of me not having you. Of not being inside you. You don’t want this, just tell me now and I’ll—”
    Barrett pressed her fingers against his mouth, effectively stopping his words. He’d sounded so damn