A Guardian's Love Read online

  She had come to bed more than four hours ago, and still she couldn’t sleep. Her thoughts filled with memories of the two of them in this very same bed. All the tossing and turning had helped her make up her mind. The next time she saw the vampire, she was going to seduce her.

  Inger peered into the dark corners of her room and realized that her plan of seduction was going to happen sooner than she thought. “Come to me.” Her voice sounded loud in the quiet of the room. There was no movement. “I know you’re there. Come.”

  For a few seconds there was still no movement, but then a figure disentangled itself from the shadows and stepped forward. Inger reached over and switched on the bedside lamp. The silver eyes burned into hers.

  “How did you know I was here?”

  Inger pulled back the covers and patted the empty space next to her in bold invitation. “I sensed your presence.”

  When Paloma still didn’t make a move toward the bed, Inger laughed softly. “What? Don’t tell me you're scared of getting into bed with me? Is Paloma Soleil, the legendary Royal Vampire Assassin, scared of getting into a bed with a mere human?” She fell back against her pillow and her hands went to the buttons on her pajama shirt.

  Paloma stepped forward quickly and stilled her hands.

  “I wanted to come see you one last time before I went home.” Paloma’s voice sounded strangled and Inger rejoiced in the power she had over this dangerous woman. She relived the last time Paloma made love to her. Her strong, yet gentle hands holding her in place while she was plundering her body, her soft husky voice mumbling to her in Italian, her hot tongue in her mouth, her persistent fingers down there.

  Her blood was on fire as she flung the top aside and slowly lifted her hands to cup her breasts. Her nipples hardened immediately, and she grinned when she heard a soft gasp coming from Paloma. Paloma bent over her, her lips slowly descending toward one of her nipples. Inger groaned when she felt the hot mouth clasp over her. Paloma’s tongue licked the rough surface of her nipple and Inger arched her back off the bed, groaning softly.

  “Stay with me tonight, Paloma. I just want to feel your touch one last time.”

  Paloma lifted her head.

  “What are you talking about, one last time? I will never get enough of you.”

  Paloma pressed her lips against Inger’s parted ones. “I plan on claiming you as my woman, my life partner, and if I have to wait decades for you to be reincarnated, I will wait for you and claim you again and again.” Paloma’s voice broke, and she pressed her face into Inger’s neck.

  Inger felt the wetness on her neck and held the blonde head gently to her. Her own eyes were also damp. She was being offered more than she had ever thought possible.

  When she looked at her parents, she had always been in awe of their love, but even more so after Jemima had confided in her the sacrifices, the fidelity, and the heartache. Now her blonde warrior was offering her the same. She pulled the blonde’s head back and looked deeply into the mesmerizing silver eyes. They held such a raw expression of love that Inger felt her heart tighten. “Do you realize what you are offering me, Paloma?”

  The silver eyes didn’t even blink when she answered. “Yes. I offer you everything that is me, my breath, my thoughts, my love, my loyalty.” Their lips met halfway and with a flick of her hand, Paloma had them both naked. The urgency between them had been building throughout the day and it didn’t take much to push them both over the edge. After a rather noisy session with Inger almost tearing the sheets, she laid snuggly in Paloma’s arms.

  Struggling to get her breathing under control, Inger lazily drew shapes on Paloma’s muscled stomach.

  “Paloma?”

  “Yes.”

  Inger lifted herself onto her elbow and smiled down at the vampire. “Thank you for volunteering to look after me. My mom told me earlier tonight that you took a big gamble, not knowing whether the drug might kill you.”

  Paloma reached up and Inger purred as the long lean fingers brushed through her hair. “I had no other choice,” Paloma murmured. “You are too important to me.”

  Inger brushed a kiss over Paloma’s lips. “Thank you.”

  “There really is no need for that, but I graciously accept your gratitude.”

  With an impish grin, Inger bit Paloma on the ear. “To show you my immense gratitude I have something for you.” She pushed her hand under the pillow. “Here.”

  †

  Paloma’s eyes moved from the object in Inger’s hand to her brilliant blue eyes. Her eyes narrowed slightly before her hand moved downwards to test her readiness. She sighed softly at the wetness she found there. She reached for the toy and rolled away from Inger.

  “You are so beautiful.” Paloma whispered and planted a hard kiss on Inger’s lips before strapping on the toy. Inger smiled when Paloma turned back to her and moved to lie between her legs, giving Inger a deep kiss.

  Paloma gently dipped the blunt head of the dildo in her wetness, pushing it in a little bit to make Inger moan softly. She continued until she felt Inger’s nails rake down her back. She was ready.

  Inger felt Paloma entering her, her strong hands on the back of her knees pressing her legs open wider. Inger closed her eyes.

  “Look at me, my heart. I want you to look at me, as I possess you. I want you to know who and what I am.” Paloma grated out between clenched teeth.

  Paloma grunted when the toy slid deeper and deeper still until it stopped, buried to the hilt. The Assassin pressed her face into Inger’s breasts to regain her composure.

  †

  Impatiently, Inger bucked her hips and moaned when it went even deeper. The blonde head lifted slowly and this time Inger felt a low menacing thrill down her spine, but before she could react on the feeling, Paloma threw back her head and with sharp white fangs showing, she began to move her hips. The silver eyes were almost transparent with desire as she reared back and thrust into her repeatedly. The feeling was so intense that Inger felt herself gasping for breath. Paloma’s face was set in a tight mask of passion while her strong hands were pressing her legs higher. Opening her legs wider for her powerful thrusts, Inger heard foreign words falling from the vampire’s lips.

  Just when she felt her body starting to tremble with the onslaught of her orgasm, Paloma growled deeply, doubled her efforts, and deepened her strokes. The bed creaked under the weight of her thrusts.

  “I...claim you...as...mine...now...and…till the end of time.” The words left Paloma in gasps even as her thrusts became more frenzied.

  Inger grasped the flexing mounds in her hands, urging Paloma to go deeper still.

  Paloma lowered her head.

  Inger felt the sharp pinpricks on her left breast and then she felt herself slip over the edge, falling deeper and deeper into an abyss.

  She could still vaguely feel Paloma plunder her releasing body with deep thrusts, but the intimate feeling of Paloma drinking from her breast was what Inger knew she would remember forever. It was the most erotic feeling she had ever experienced. So this was what it felt like to be possessed fully—heart, body, mind, and soul. It was nothing like how her mom tried to explain to her. It was more. It was earth shattering. When she came to, it was to find the silver eyes studying her anxiously. Not again…am I going to suffer blackouts every time we have sex?

  “Are you okay, my love?”

  Her mouth worked, but still no sound came forth, Inger resorted to a weak nod. All she wanted to do now was to curl up against her lover and sleep. She doubted if she would even wake up tomorrow morning. Her whole body was still vibrating like a tightly strung wire with the aftermath of her orgasm. When she tried to close her legs, she found them unresponsive and the place between her legs registered a warm dull ache. With all the strength she could muster after having been thoroughly ravished, she rolled over on her side and pushed her naked backside into the cradle of Paloma’s strong body.

  “Sleep…I need to sleep.” She sighed again when she felt the strong
arms circling her waist, pulling her closer.

  “Sleep, my heart. I will watch over you while you rest.”

  Inger’s eyes cracked open and she pushed closer still to Paloma. “Don’t leave me.”

  Paloma placed a kiss on her sweaty shoulder. “Not even if my life depended on it, my love.”

  With that assurance, Inger felt consciousness slip away.

  Inger woke an hour later and felt the warm body curled around hers. Paloma had stayed. She turned as carefully as she could so as not to wake Paloma. She wanted to see what the Assassin looked like when she was asleep. She turned, only to find the silver eyes open and staring back at her.

  “You’re still awake?”

  “Holding you in my arms is too distracting.”

  Inger smiled and pushed a stray lock of hair behind Paloma’s ear. They were lying facing each other and Inger shifted closer noticing that Paloma was still naked. She loved the way the vampire’s cool skin felt against hers.

  “Let me help you sleep, will you?” She pressed her lips against Paloma’s.

  The silver eyes flashed, amused. “You could try.”

  Two hours later, Inger slid off Paloma’s trembling body and tucked her into the crook of her arm. From the lack of movement or sound, it was obvious that the Vampire had dozed off. Licking her damp fingers slowly, Inger moaned softly, who would’ve thought that the woman would taste so intoxicating. She’d taken her repeatedly, but simply couldn’t get enough of Paloma’s taste and the sexy hissing sounds she made deep in her throat. She looked down into the face of her lover.

  The Assassin was lying next to her, drained, after hours of scorching passion. She tenderly stroked the sweaty body of her lover. There was much more she wanted to teach Paloma. She hadn’t even started on the good parts when Paloma’s quaking body couldn’t take anymore and she’d slipped into a deep soundless sleep. Oh, how exhilarating it is to have so much power over one so powerful. Closing her eyes, she snuggled closer to Paloma.

  Chapter 10

  Tahlia turned sharply and scanned the room to locate Jemima. She frowned when she found her chatting and laughing with one of the hunters.

 

  She got her answer when Jemima turned around, her beautiful face reflecting confusion.

 

  Tahlia weighed her options on whether to tell Jemima or to keep quiet. She didn’t want to alarm her unnecessarily. She shook her head and smiled.

 

  She saw the doubt on Jemima’s face, but she still managed to pull off a light-hearted smile and turned back to the hunter with whom she’d been conversing. Just when she thought she had succeeded in having reassured Jemima, she heard her lover’s voice, calm and strong.

 

  Tahlia sighed. There was no use in lying to her.

 

  She saw Jemima excuse herself from her group and come over to her. The blue eyes were troubled. Tahlia gently touched her mind and she brushed against a cloud of panic in her lover’s mind. Jemima was scared, if someone had tapped into Tahlia’s private mental path, then every mental path could be compromised.

  “Who is she, and what does she want from you?” Jemima’s question was calm, but Tahlia could also hear the faint distrust in her mate’s voice. She reached out and pulled Jemima to her, and together they moved through the opened patio doors. Once outside, she turned to face Jemima.

  “I am not sure if I should be alarmed or not.” When she saw the unease in Jemima’s eyes, she shook her head. “The voice does not sound threatening. It is just that I cannot place whom it belongs to. I know the voices of almost each and every Royal vampiress alive.”

  Jemima turned to look at the moonlit landscape.

  “Maybe you need to open up and hear what she has to say. It could be very important.”

  Tahlia reached out and took Jemima’s hand in hers. “It seems as if she is trying to reach someone else, but using my mental path. Maybe you are right. Maybe I should just open up instead of cutting her off every time.”

  A sudden flutter of movement in the garden caught both their attention, and Tahlia quickly placed her body in front of Jemima’s. They were at James’ mansion, and, although they had spun strong safeguards to protect the house, humans still could slip through undetected, especially with so many of them working as blood cows for renegades. It was easy to manipulate them, thus they could not be trusted. Two shadows emerged from the dark, and Tahlia relaxed. Inger and Paloma stepped into the light, holding hands. They stopped and melted into each other’s arms as they shared a passionate kiss.

  “At least our daughter is safe and...loved,” Jemima said evenly and Tahlia pulled her into her arms.

  “Yes. Anyone messing with her will have to answer not only to us but to Paloma.”

  Jemima placed a soft kiss on Tahlia’s cheek.

  “Anyone messing with her must surely have a death wish.”

  The couple moved back into the shadows, and Tahlia and Jemima both knew what was happening under the cover of darkness. They looked at each other longingly. They had done the same so many times. Making love in the garden against a tree or on a soft patch of grass had been a regular occurrence for them in the beginning. Now, twenty odd years later, they still slipped into the garden to make love under the stars. It was perhaps time for them set up another starlight rendezvous.

  Jemima’s arms snaked around Tahlia’s waist, and she pressed closer to her lover. Tahlia looked down at her, her dark eyes probing.

  “You are really fine with this?”

  “Fine with what, darling?”

  “Inger and Paloma?” The dark eyes studied her closely.

  Jemima pushed out a noisy breath and glanced in the direction where Inger and Paloma were hidden in the shadows.

  “I still would’ve liked for Inger to wait before getting involved with Paloma.” The blue eyes were cloudy. “But she loves our child, Tahlia, and she has proven her love so many times over.” She pressed her face into Tahlia’s neck. “In the end all we want is our daughter’s safety and happiness. Paloma offers her both.”

  “Yes, she does.” Tahlia softly stroked the blonde hair. “But does she really need to sleep with Inger? Can they not just… you know… hold hands or something until she is a little older…” Tahlia was interrupted by Jemima’s laughter. At least the gloomy look was no longer on her face.

  “If you haven’t noticed, my darling, Paloma is gorgeous, and if Inger is anything like you, I’m sure her morals flew right out the window the minute Paloma’s eyes fell on her.”

  Tahlia wanted to argue the point and defend both Inger and herself, but she realized that what Jemima had said was true. She was there when Inger first laid eyes on Paloma. Her daughter almost tripped over her tongue at the sight of the Assassin. She, on the other hand, never stood a chance where Jemima was concerned. One look into those beautiful eyes, and she was…is…a goner.

  “I know what you mean,” she conceded softly. Jemima chuckled, her blue eyes sparkling with merriment.

  “You both are too easy.”

  Footsteps sounded behind them and they turned to see James coming their way. After twenty years, he had aged, but at 69, he still managed to keep his robust figure and twinkling blue eyes. Jemima immediately moved into her father’s arms and sighed softly when he vigorously rubbed her back, something he’d done when she was a girl. Tahlia knew how much Jemima loved it.

  “Tell me what it is with the women in my life and dangerous vampires?” His blue eyes scanned the garden then shifted back to Tahlia. “First my daughter falls for a dangerous woman, and now my granddaughter is head over heels in love with a
vampire assassin.”

  Jemima kissed her father on the cheek and went to stand next to Tahlia. Tahlia felt herself drown in the azure depths.

  “They know how to love us without being told, Daddy.”

  James had a teasing look in his blue eyes. “Do you remember what a handful she was, Tahlia?”

  “Oh yes…” Tahlia grinned broadly. “Especially as a teenager. She would sneak out at the oddest hours of the night to crash house parties. I must say I have spent more hours than I care to remember standing in dark corners watching teenagers puke all over themselves.” Her black eyes smiled into James’ eyes. “Luckily she was not one of the ones puking.”

  Jemima laughed softly. “I had to do the same with Inger. The child was uncontrollable and would only listen when I threatened to ground her.”

  “Karma, my dear. What goes around comes around.” James said in a sing-song voice.

  There was blurred movement, and Inger and Paloma appeared next to them on the patio. Almost immediately, Tahlia’s sharp nose picked up the musky scent of spent passion. She looked at Paloma. The vampire warrior sported a love bite in her neck that was slowly starting to fade. Inger hadn’t fared well, either. Her lips were swollen, and her blue eyes looked dazed. James must’ve seen it too because he smiled back at Inger and took her by the arm.

  “Hey, honey, I don’t think we’ve had that talk yet.”

  Inger had a quizzical look on her face as she glanced at her grandfather. “What talk, Grandpa?”

  “The birds and the bee’s one, of course.”

  Tahlia grinned when Inger blushed furiously.

  “Grandpa…”

  Laughing loudly, James pulled her into the house with him.

  “Let’s go see what your grandmother is up to.” They walked away arm-in-arm.

  Tahlia’s black eyes bored into Paloma’s silver ones. Will she ever get used to the fact that her childhood friend was actually sleeping with her daughter. Reluctantly she looked at Paloma, really looked at her, stunned by what she was seeing. Jemima was right. Paloma was a striking woman. Her eyes travelled over her childhood friend’s strong body and the scrutiny only stopped when they met an amused silver gaze.