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  As he thought about how much he loved her and how unwilling he was to let her go, he finally figured out his next move. He’d have to break precedent and do the one thing he knew she really wanted him to do, but would it be enough?

  ***

  Chapter Three

  The following night, Brianna stood in the designated reception area of the Cameron City Art Gallery, a glass of champagne in hand. The exhibition had opened to several dozen guests, many of them well-shod, so that before the first hour had passed, she’d sold a quarter of her inventory.

  She floated, savoring the achievement she’d worked so hard to bring to fruition. She’d spent every night for a full decade, with the exception of her dates with Yolen, in her studio, working her technique, exploring her unique city-and-landscape visions, executed primarily in oils.

  A number of her works were of Cameron itself, including river views of the amazing skyline and the dark hills beyond. She always tried to capture the vibrancy of movement that characterized the city, the constant flow of traffic, of people on bikes, of realm-folk walking their dogs.

  The poorer parts of the city needed serious reconstruction, an issue that she and Yolen often discussed. The thought of revitalizing Cameron frequently inspired her and more than once she’d experienced a true fae vision of what the city could become with the right attention and funding. These visions had resulted in a series of three paintings that depicted the replacing of worn out dilapidated housing with parks, playgrounds and better neighborhoods.

  The visionary series hadn’t yet sold but she blamed the gallery owner for that. The price he’d set was at least ten times higher than any of the others. But he’d been adamant, saying that she undervalued her work and that this series in particular held not only a civic appeal, but a true realm feel for which he felt certain the right buyer would pay top dollar.

  She was less sanguine, but on the other hand, tonight her paintings were selling.

  The gallery had a perfect layout, with a long entrance from the point of the elevator that ran at least fifteen feet wide and thirty feet long and which led to the main display area. She stood next to a table of champagne-filled glasses. Greeting another group of guests, she headed them toward the carefully calculated maze of her exhibition. Beyond the paintings, a light buffet awaited the guests.

  Situated closer to the elevator and stairs, she remained in a quiet bubble to greet everyone who came.

  She sipped her champagne and smiled. Only one thing would have made the evening perfect. If Yolen had come.

  And just like that, the cloud descended, the one that had kept her company since the bar fight from the night before. She ached so deep inside, it felt like she had weights attached to the bottom of her heart. Once more, she put a hand to her chest, almost struggling to breathe. She loved Yolen so much, but where was their relationship headed?

  He hadn’t called her after she’d left the bar, not anytime that night or during the daylight hours preceding her exhibition. Of course, she’d since learned the whole story, that Keynes had used his mastyr-based power and knocked him out cold. Yolen had even served some jail time since bar fights were illegal in Bergisson. Keynes had apparently phoned his lawyer and gotten out of the mess.

  But Mastyr Ethan had been the one to arrange Yolen’s release.

  Still, Yolen hadn’t called, which led her to think it might really be over between them?

  She heard the elevator ding, which meant that more guests had arrived. The gallery was located on the third floor of an old brick building and had an excellent view of the river. Though some took the stairs, the lift was necessary, especially with champagne involved.

  Straightening her shoulders, she forced herself to breathe, to forget about her rocky love affair, and to somehow plant a smile on her lips.

  But what stepped from the elevator this time, stunned her.

  Yolen had arrived, wearing a tailored suit, and looking incredibly sexy. She often forgot that he was a man of means. In addition to working homicide, he owned a successful BMW dealership and several growing businesses in the States.

  He carried a huge bouquet of red roses, maybe three dozen in all.

  She couldn’t believe it, yet here he was.

  She set her glass down and moved toward him, her heels clicking on the wood floor. “You came.”

  His lips curved as he nodded. “Seemed like the right thing to do.” Then he opened his left arm wide, holding the roses away from her.

  She stepped close and threw her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Me, too.”

  He drew her against him in a powerful embrace, exactly what she needed, to be held close to him and reassured. She knew what this meant, how much it had taken for him to set aside his rigid schedule just for her.

  She drew back, and caressed his face with her palm. “I didn’t hear until later that Keynes had knocked you out, but you don’t look the worse for wear.”

  “I’m fine.” He kissed her gently. “And I want you to know I would have come to you last night, but I had a surge and wasn’t healing very fast.”

  She knew all about his surges.

  His nostrils flared. “You smell amazing.”

  The gallery assistant, a troll named Julie that bounced from one foot to the other, greeted Yolen and took the flowers. “I’ll just put these in water.”

  “Thanks.”

  After Julie had disappeared down the hall, Brianna looked back at Yolen. “I’m so sorry for letting Keynes get that close to me last night. I honestly don’t know what happened. I’ve never been an admirer of his, but for some reason when he came onto me, I couldn’t push him away. Is that typical mastyr behavior and power? I actually felt enthralled even though you vampires don’t really have that kind of power.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know, but Brianna I don’t blame you, not even a little. Keynes crossed the line, something he’s good out. Everyone in Cameron knows we’re dating. That he didn’t keep his distance meant he broke the code. Whatever else was going on had more to do with me, which is why I’m here tonight.”

  She frowned slightly, wondering if she should pursue the subject, confess her part in the whole thing. But what Yolen had said made a lot of sense. Keynes shouldn’t have come to her like that, touching her, and now that she had some distance, she truly couldn’t explain her bizarre seductive behavior toward Keynes.

  “Whatever the case, I’m still stunned that I didn’t just tell him to get lost.”

  “As to that, I think it’s my fault. I want to do better by you and tonight I thought I’d start. I mean I can’t stay the whole night, but I wanted to be here for you.”

  “Then you’ll head to work?”

  “I have to. My instincts tell me that we’re really getting close to uncovering the identity of the latest troublemaker.”

  “But you came here first, and I really appreciate it.”

  “And I should have agreed to it the moment the subject came up. It was wrong of me not to be with you.”

  Brianna knew she should get back to the exhibition, but she couldn’t seem to let Yolen go and now her heart pounded. She’d hoped by now that the laden sensation in her veins would have eased up, but with Yolen so close, it actually seemed worse.

  Heat rose on her cheeks as she played with the lapel of his coat. “Listen, can you do me a little favor?”

  Yolen’s brows rose. “Of course. Anything. You name it. I’m yours for the next few hours.”

  He’d said exactly the right thing. “I don’t know what it is, maybe because I usually let you feed from my neck on Friday nights, but I could use your fangs right now in a big way. I feel like I spent the week making you a supply and, well…”

  His eyes fell quickly to half-mast. “Then you’d better find us some place private, because once I sink em, you know what’s going to happen.”

  Desire sped through her, followed by a flush that covered every inch of her skin. “How well I
know.”

  She glanced at the crowd some thirty feet away and since everyone was busy enjoying the light supper, champagne, and her paintings, she thought she wouldn’t be missed for the next few minutes.

  Stepping away from him, she took his hand and led him down the stairs to the second level.

  The gallery had a number of work spaces, very dark, unused and private at this hour, so she took him to the framing room. Drawing him inside, she turned and locked the door.

  She needed this so much, this time with him, his body against hers and mostly his fangs in her neck as he did his vampire thing.

  She swung her long hair behind her shoulder.

  “Yolen,” she whispered.

  He caught the back of her neck with his hand and held her gaze. The room was pitch black, but her fae vision warmed his face. Her abdomen tightened as it always did when he stood this close to her. He was so damn handsome and as his dark eyes bored into hers, she grew lax in his arms.

  He moved in tight, connecting his hips to hers. She felt his arousal and now her blood thumped in her ears. Adrenaline flowed and she trembled.

  “I love you, Brianna and I am trying.”

  “I know.” She petted his face, his hair, his shoulders. “Take me.”

  He kissed her and all that she felt for him rushed forward so that her mating vibration came to life, her realm frequency designed to choose a forever-after man. She let him feel how much she loved him, that in every possible way, she belonged to him.

  * * * * * * * * *

  Brianna’s vibration hit Yolen square in the chest, spreading fire through his body. Her scent rose as well, a swirl of jasmine and sea air that made his mouth water and his cock twitch. Her blood called to him and he realized just how powerfully even the promise of drinking from her neck affected him.

  She wasn’t the only one who’d missed last night’s coupling. He ached to be inside her and he longed to drink her down.

  As he continued to ply her lips with his own, something about just the thought of tapping her vein, suddenly ignited his mastyr calling. Startled, he drew back and suppressed the surge.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure, but as I was kissing you and thought about how much I needed this time with you, needed to tap into your vein, I surged again.”

  “Yolen, what’s going on? I mean, has the thought of drinking from me done this before?”

  “No, not like this.”

  “Do you want to stop?”

  He grabbed her once more and hauled her against his chest. “Sweet Goddess no. I think I’d rather die first.”

  She chuckled at that. “I feel the same way. I need you so much right now. And your scent, like a bonfire at the river’s edge.” She moaned suddenly.

  He kissed her again, touching his tongue to her lips. When she opened for him, he thrust inside which caused her to moan again.

  As much as he wanted to just drop his pants and lift her skirts, he drew back, settling his forehead against hers. “Brianna, you know I love you. Tell me you know that.”

  “I do.”

  He eased back just enough to see that her eyes glinted with desire. She took his hand and pressed it to her chest. “Can you feel this?”

  Her heart pounded heavily. “You have what I need.”

  “I’m yours.”

  He nodded slowly, stepping away to remove his coat. He hung it over the back of a nearby chair, then unbuckled his pants and let them fall to the floor. At the same time, she stripped out of her thong and lifted her skirts. The sweet smell of her jasmine-and-ocean scent had his hips arching as he pushed her against the wall, caught and held her upper thigh near his waist, then angled his hips.

  She was wet for him as the tip of his cock struck home. Her body arched, giving him perfect access. He pushed inside, savoring the feel of her well as she tugged at him from deep inside.

  She cried out softly. “I didn’t know just how much I needed this, needed you, needed your body. Yolen, by all the elf lords, you’re hard as a rock.”

  “You make me hard.” He set a rhythm, thrusting in and out, working her up. He knew her body, what pleased her as he engaged in the age-old dance that made him one with his woman.

  She tilted her head, exposing the heavy pulse of her vein.

  Her scent now thick in his nostrils, he almost lost it at the sight of all that bounty waiting for him. He leaned down and licked several long lines up her throat, bringing the vein to the surface. He angled, lowered his fangs. Piercing to the right depth, he then retracted.

  As he began to suck, the first burst of blood in his mouth sent his hips pushing hard into her. She groaned in response, wrapping both her arms around his neck, clinging to him.

  Engaging his telepathy, he pathed, Your blood, Brianna. It’s never been like this before. So rich and there’s so much power here. Once more, his mastyr calling wanted to surge, but he forced it down. Apparently, the part of him that could reach mastyr status really liked the taste of Brianna’s blood.

  Drinking from her strengthened him, the muscles of his arms, his chest, his thighs as he drove into her. He added the vibration she liked, straight through his cock. The frequencies of his world had this one tremendous advantage and she groaned heavily in response.

  “Yolen, do that more.”

  He increased the vibration and a series of soft cries left her throat. She breathed hard against his shoulder, moaning and uttering more cries of pleasure that made his hips move faster. The whole time, he drank her down, savoring what she had to give.

  Yolen, I’m on fire. Ecstasy feels about one breath away. I’m so ready to come.

  Just let it happen. Let me feel you come.

  A long, guttural groan left her lips as her internal well squeezed him in strong pulses.

  I’m coming. Her body quivered. She dug her nails into his back and he could tell she restrained her cries because the old, brick building tended to carry sound way too well.

  He kept pushing hard, but holding back his own climax. He wanted her to come again, so that she could carry an extra portion of satisfaction around with her over the next several days. He wanted her to remember this night.

  As her body settled down, he slowed his movements. But he kept thrusting into her, though more gently, giving her a chance to catch her breath. At the same time, he continued to savor her blood. He could tell she’d produced an abundance, something that made his vampire self very happy. If he wondered why she’d produced more than normal, he set it down to all the recent stress.

  She moaned softly. I love that you drink from me.

  And I love drinking. He began his next assault on her willing body as he began thrusting faster. He was now on the cusp as well, but he needed a few more sips before he left her throat.

  Knowing her body as well as he did, he rolled his hips to move his cock inside her, side-to-side.

  A quick moan left her throat. You’ll make me come again if you keep doing that.

  He loved her voice in his head. That’s the idea. He repeated the process, shifting back and forth several times, then he set up a strong, dedicated thrust, moving faster and faster. Once more her fingers dug into his back.

  When he knew he was close to the point of no return, he drew back just enough to lick the small apertures on her neck, sealing up her vein.

  He then caught her gaze and arched his hips several times in quick succession, thrusting at the same time. She gasped in response. “I love you, Brianna, and I love being inside you like this.”

  Her gaze fell to his lips. “You’re wearing my blood. I’ve always loved that I can share with you in this way.”

  “I want to watch you come this time. Are you ready?”

  She moaned. “Yes, so close.”

  He held her gaze, as he moved his hips faster, driving harder.

  She arched her neck and her breath caught. “Cover my mouth with your hand. This feels incredible, but I think I’m going to lose control.”

 
He obliged her, pressing his palm to her mouth. He could feel her climax as she screamed against his fingers, her body writhing against his.

  His balls tightened and he couldn’t catch his breath as his release rocketed through his cock. Shit, that feels amazing. He repressed his groans, but a guttural sound escaped him anyway as pleasure streaked through him in quick, hot jerks. His chest swelled and once more he groaned heavily.

  But the pleasure kept rolling, as though the blood she’d given him had fired him up more than usual. He continued to pump into her, his body spasming with ecstasy.

  The last streak of pleasure released and his body began to loosen, a kind of delirium replacing the rush of the climax.

  He breathed hard as he drew away from her, removing his hand at the same time. She met his gaze, her light blue eyes glimmering in the darkened room.

  She smiled softly. “You’re amazing, Yolen. And I don’t say that lightly. When you make love to me, it’s as though you feel every part of me, that you’re always thinking about me, doing things just for me.”

  “I want you to feel that way.” He stroked her hair and kissed her. “I love making love to you. I always have. From the first, you’ve been new ground for me.”

  He kissed her for a long time after that, remaining joined to her because it felt right, especially since he’d missed his alone time with her the night before. He wanted things to work and he knew he’d done the right thing by changing his mind about her exhibition. Maybe he couldn’t do all the things a normal boyfriend could do, but every once in a while, he could make concessions and he felt really good about that.

  * * * * * * * * *

  Once Brianna returned to the gallery, she spent the rest of the evening moving among the crowd and receiving the hugs and congratulations of friends and art enthusiasts. Yolen had stayed for two hours, which she considered a respectable time for a man so dedicated to his work.

  She valued their mutual love for the city of Cameron and that he worked tirelessly to make it a safe place for all realm-folk.