按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
warmth of his neck。 There was movement in the room； and I knew distantly that someone had run to get a doctor； but what I needed a doctor couldn't give me。
Micah's skin smelled clean； young。 It was like I could tell just by scent how old he was。 The blood was like icing spread just under the tenderness of his flesh； and the part of me that thought of Micah as meat wasn't Jean…Claude； it was Richard。
I didn't know how to put the need into words。 Micah turned his face； looked into my eyes； and I felt something inside me open； some door that I hadn't even known existed swung wide。 A wind blew through the door； a wind made of darkness and the stillness of the grave。 A wind that held an edge of electric warmth like the rub of fur across bare skin。 A wind that tasted of both my men。 But I was the center； the thing that could hold both of them inside and not break。 Life and death； lust and love。
〃What are you？〃 Micah asked； his voice a surprised whisper。
I'd always thought that vampires took their victims stole their will with their eyes and took them like magical rape。 But in that instant I knew it was more plex than that； and more simple。 I saw with Jean…Claude's eyes； his power。 I stared into Micah's face from inches away； and I saw； felt； his own need。 Lust was there； a horribly unsatisfied lust； and I knew it had been a long time for Micah。 But underneath that was a greater need； a need for power and the shelter that power could provide。 It was like I could smell his needs； roll them on my tongue。 I stared into his yellow…green eyes in that so…human face； and Jean…Claude gave me the keys to Micah's soul。
〃I am power； Nimir…Raj。 Enough power to warm you on the coldest of nights。〃 Power flowed off his skin like a scalding wind。 That hot wind mingled with the power inside me； twisting together until it drove like a knife deep inside me。 It tore a gasp from my throat； and Micah echoed it。 The power turned into something gentler； something that caressed instead of stabbed； something that you would wait your whole life to have。 I saw the sensation flow over Micah's face； knew that he felt it； too。
A wind stirred the edge of his hair。 And the wind was moving between us like the point where cold and heat meet and form something larger than either can form alone； something huge and whirling； a wind so strong it can level houses and drive straw through telephone poles。
His arms tightened around me。 〃I am Nimir…Raj； mind games don't work on me。〃
I got to my knees still in the circle of his arms； and pressed my body down the front of his。 We were almost exactly the same height； the eye contact was terribly intimate。 The power pressed around us like a giant hand squeezing us together。 His body responded； and he was large again； so hard pressed to my groin and stomach。 This was my cue to be embarrassed； to panic； but I didn't。 I knew that Jean…Claude fed off of lust as well as blood； but I'd never really understood what that meant until that moment when Micah's flesh touched mine。 It wasn't just the naked press of him； hard and firm against my body； that made me shudder against him； it was the need in his body。 I felt his hunger quiver through his flesh； as if I could read parts of him that were too primitive for words； needs that had nothing to do with language； and everything to do with naked flesh。
He closed his eyes； and a soft moan escaped him。
〃What I offer isn't illusion； Nimir…Raj； it's real。〃
He shook his head。 〃Sex isn't enough。〃
〃I'm not offering sex； not now；〃 Even as I said it； I pressed my body against his。 His entire body shuddered against me； and a sound very like a whimper crawled out of his throat。
〃I'm offering a taste of power； Nimir…Raj； a small taste of all I can offer you。〃 In my head I knew it was a lie； but in my heart I knew it was true。 I could offer him power and flesh； the two things he wanted； needed； above all else。 It was perfect bait； and it was wrong。 I started to back down； to try and cram the power down； but Jean…Claude fought me。 He thrust his power into me like an echo of his body； riding me。 It was too late for me to feed as humans feed and give him back his strength。 He'd avoided me for nights； because I was weak。 I had grown strong again； and he had grown weak； and we had enemies in town。 We could not afford weakness。 All this； I knew in a heartbeat； his mind to mine。 And it was that seed of doubt could we afford to be weak？ that made me unable to shut him out。
〃What do you want in return？〃 Micah asked it in a whisper that held an edge of desperation； as if we both knew that whatever I asked； he would do it。
〃I want to drink the warm rush of your body； to have you fill my mouth with that hot liquid that beats just below here；〃 and I rubbed my lips across his neck。 The scent of blood so near the surface made my stomach twist； but we were close； so close； mustn't rush it； mustn't scare him。 We were like fishermen。 We had our net； all we needed was for the fish to stop fighting us and lay still。
My lips hovered over his neck as he spoke。 〃Show me you have enough power to make it worth my while； and I'll give you any body fluid you want。〃
I swept his hair to one side； and it slid back。 I balled my hand into a fist of his curls to keep it out of the way； and even that movement brought a sound from his throat。 I bared the long smooth line of his neck。 He moved his head to one side as if he knew what I wanted now。 I could see the big pulse in his neck； beating against his skin like something small and separate from him； something alive that I had to make free。
I licked my tongue across that throbbing skin。 I meant to be gentle； I meant many things； but his skin was slick and flawless against my mouth； the smell of him intoxicated me like the sweetest perfume。 His pulse throbbed against my mouth； and I sank my teeth around that frantic movement。 I ate at his skin； dug my teeth into the flesh underneath； and into his power； his beast。
I felt my beast rise through my body； like some great shape rising from the ocean depths； a leviathan that grew and grew； swelling up inside me until my skin couldn't hold it； then it touched his beast； and it stopped； hovering in black water； hovering in my body like some huge thing。 The two powers floated in that dark water； brushing huge； sleek sides down the length of their bodies； our bodies。 It was a sensation like velvet rubbing inside me； except this velvet had muscles； flesh； and was hard even where it was soft。 The imagery that kept flowing through my mind was of some great cat rubbing itself inside me； rolling through me； but bigger than that。 I'd seen Richard's beast move through his eyes like some great shape half…seen in water； and it felt that large； that overwhelming。 I drank Micah's power down but not just through my mouth and down my throat。 Everywhere I touched him； I fed。 I could feel his heart beating against my naked breasts。 I could feel the blood rushing through his body； feel every inch of him pressed against me。 Feel his need； his desire； and I ate at him。 I fed at his neck as if his pulse were the center of some filled cake； as if once I gnawed away the flesh I would have something unutterably swee