A Kiss of Blood (Vamp City #2)(56)

“I am going to drink from you, cara. A very little. But enough.”

Enough to make her orgasm.

“You’re going to embarrass me in front of Micah,” she countered, already feeling the heat of it in her cheeks.

“Your orgasm will feed him quicker and faster than anything else. And time is of the essence, do you not agree?”

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, shedding her inhibitions along with the air. At least it was dark out here. “Go ahead.”

Arturo stroked her face with his thumb, but his words were for Micah when he spoke. “Pull me off of her if I get lost.”

A deep sound of agreement met her ears.

Arturo brushed her hair off her shoulder, baring her neck, and she tipped her head to the side, giving him full access. Two vampires, both wanting to feed from her, and she was letting them do so freely.

Trust came in many forms.

She felt Arturo’s lips brush the sensitive skin at the curve of her neck a second before his fangs slid in. Her breath caught with anticipation, and she was not disappointed. He pulled gently, a small intake of blood, but the pleasure that ripped through her was anything but small.

Quinn gasped, her breath trembling into her lungs.

Arturo took a second, harder pull, and she cried out from the blast of exquisite pleasure that left her shaking with need, her body trembling, her legs weak, her body pulsing hot and low. With his third pull of blood, she came, hard and fast, her legs buckling beneath her. As the pleasure ripped through her over and over, she felt Arturo’s arms around her, holding her close, his mouth moving from her neck to her jaw, to her cheek, to her mouth. And then they were kissing, touching, his hands in her hair, her free hand sliding over his muscular shoulder.

She barely noticed the pull on her wrist, didn’t even realize it had stopped until Arturo pulled away, kissing her forehead, and she realized she had both arms wrapped around his neck.

In a flush of embarrassment, she pulled away, hazarding a glance at Micah who was watching them with the same look on his face she’d often seen on Arturo’s when they first met—that rapturous look of feeding pleasure.

“I’m going to hang around you kids more often,” Micah said, his tone all too serious. “If it was half as good for you, Quinn, as it was for me . . .”

Quinn’s face flamed hotter. “I’d rather not discuss my orgasm with you, Micah, if it’s all the same to you.”

He grinned. “No discussion necessary. I was there.” He shook his head, his expression turning once more serious. “Don’t let Fabian get a taste of that, or he may lock you two up and never let you leave.”

Micah strode to where he’d tied his horse and quickly mounted. “On the plus side, I’m refueled to the top. On the downside, I’ve got a woody like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Micah . . .” Arturo growled.

With a laugh, Micah turned his mount with a wave. “I’ll find you.” Then he disappeared into the dark.

Arturo retrieved their mounts, then hovered over her as she reached for the reins. “He did not take too much?”

“I don’t think so. I feel fine.” To prove her point, she swung up into the saddle without any trouble. “That was . . . rather embarrassing.” And more intriguing than she wanted to admit.

“We are vampires, Quinn. We are Emoras. Blood, pleasure, fear . . . we must feed.”

“I know.” She sighed. “I know.”

They continued on until a large stone wall came into view on the hill in the distance. “Is that it?”

“It is. Do not forget your role, tesoro.”

“I won’t screw this up, Vampire. Not in that way, at least.”

“I usually feel when the magic begins to claim you, but tell me early, yes? And I will try to help you keep it in check.”

She glanced at him. “How?”

A smile claimed his mouth, leaping into his dark eyes, stealing her breath. “Distraction.”

Quinn laughed. “I’m sure.”

His smile softened. “How I like the sound of your laughter.” Slowly, that smile of his died, his expression turning serious. “If you are in danger, do whatever you must to protect yourself. If you have to use your magic, do so. It is better for you to be revealed than harmed.”

Quinn nodded. “All right. But I’m not leaving until Vintry frees my magic.”

Arturo eyed her thoughtfully, then nodded. As they neared the gates, he glanced at her. “Are you ready?”

Quinn swallowed. “Sure. What can go wrong?”

Their gazes met, the knowledge leaping between them with chilling resonance.

Anything. Everything.





Chapter Sixteen

As Quinn and Arturo rode closer to the stone wall, to the stronghold of yet another vampire master, Quinn’s tension mounted, and the shiver that went through her had little to do with the cool temperature of the air. Fabian Neptune was a pleasure-feeder, not a pain-feeder like Cristoff, though she wasn’t sure that was much comfort. Especially given the fact that Arturo hadn’t wanted her anywhere near this place.

She glanced at Arturo. “Do none of you feed on happiness? On love or joy?”

“Some do, but it makes them no kinder, cara. I knew a vampire once who required the joy of children. She hid in the shadows feeding from their giggling laughter, then snatched them up and sucked the blood from their bodies.”