Free When It Comes (Vampire Assassin League Book 31) by Jackie Ivie Page B

rate. The thumping noise faded.
    The next effort went toward untensing his muscles. His shoulders and arms were in knots, his abs coiled tighter than a trampoline, his buttocks burned with how tightly he held them. He had to concentrate to feel his legs, and then they ached, too. He could use a full body massage, but to release these muscles, he’d probably need one given by a pissed-off world-class wrestler. With a lot of strength.
    Crap.
    It was useless. He had to reach the dream-state again...the one that had brought her to him last night. It wasn’t an option, either. It was an actual physical need.
    “Adelaide!”
    The name almost carried his sob. And then she answered!
    “I’m here.”
    Mitch’s eyes snapped open. She wasn’t above him. He turned his head. She stood in the shadowed area of his door. His heart launched into his throat, making it tight. His mouth went instantly dry.
    Oh.
    Baby!
    She wore a white ensemble tonight, making her easy to spot. It also made her image ghostly in the dimness. Almost ethereal. Mitch sat. It didn’t take a hint of effort since his abs were already tight. Ready. He bent both knees to keep his arousal out of sight. And then he just watched her glide toward him. She stopped at the end of his bed. She was breathing heavily, matching him. Each inhalation sent the dual mounds of her breasts into prominence along the top of her corset. She looked amazing. Classy. Feminine. Perfect. She had a little hat on her head, the veil just grazing her cheekbones. Above-elbow-length opera gloves encased her arms. And then, he had to consider that heavenly corset. He couldn’t see what else she wore. Her lower half was hidden by his footboard.
    Damn thing.
    “Come here.”  His command was rough-edged, resembling a large metal zipper as it pulled open.
    “We need to talk.” 
    Her voice was seduction in an audible form. His skin rippled with a renewed flash of goose bumps.
    “Come. Here,” he repeated, using exactly the same tone, but spacing the words out threateningly.
    “Mitchell. I have something to tell you.”
    “I’m warning you,” he answered.
    “There are things you need to know!”
    “Get your ass over here, lady.”
    “I beg your pardon!”
    She sounded shocked. Offended. Mitch almost laughed.
    “You want it prettied up? Sorry. You got the wrong guy. And you definitely got the wrong time.”
    “I have to tell you what I am!”
    “You’re a succubus. A fantasy. A damn demon. I don’t know and I don’t care. And I’m way past asking again. Got it?”
    The shadow of a smile crossed her mouth. There was something weird about it again. This time, he saw what it was. Two small spikes were just peeking from beneath her upper lip, about where her canines should be. Were those... fangs ? His mind registered the question. His body didn’t care. Her lips were plump. Lush. Reddened. He watched them move as she answered. The little spikes were white against the backdrop of red.
    “I’m not any of those.”   
    “Like I give a shit.” 
    Mitch launched forward, grabbed her shoulders, and pulled her onto the bed with him. They dropped. He wasn’t graceful. The mattress jumped and then started shuddering. It matched Mitch’s reaction. He’d looped his arms about her, bringing her close. Closer. The boning of her corset dug into his ribcage. He tightened his arms more, ratcheting up the visceral quality of this embrace. She gasped. The slight sound was swallowed by his groan as he snagged her lips, his mouth open and grasping, his tongue plundering. The kiss was heady. Addictive. The edge of her veil scratched the top of his nose. Her breath grazed his cheek. The slightest impression of pain occurred in his mouth.
    Had she opened...a cut?
    He wondered it for a fraction of a second and then he didn’t care about that, either. Liquid ecstasy erupted in his mouth, before it gushed through his veins. The sensation smacked into his chest cavity and grabbed his heart.
    And