In Blood and Worth Loving Read online

  His smile turned into a grin. “I love a woman who screams when she’s fucked.”

  “So?”

  “Rayna, my brothers and I are close and we like each other. We like living together. However, this is just one of the family mansions we own. There are others in various states where we all live when there’s no one special in our lives. We all have individual condos for the times we want to be alone. Come live with me. If you want a house, I’ll buy you one and you can furnish it anyway you like. Or I’ll have one built to your specifications anywhere you like. I’ll willingly surrender my life if necessary to protect you.

  “As you know I can’t always control my tempter, but I’ll cherish you, Brandi. And I’ll be good to you and give you everything you want.”

  Everything except what she really needed from him. “I’m human, Adrian.”

  “I know that.” He grinned suddenly. “No one’s perfect and though it’s a rather large flaw, I promise not to hold that against you, honey.”

  She laughed and then hit his shoulder, but sobered quickly. “Why did you come tonight and not before?”

  “I stayed away for as long as I could because I was afraid of hurting you again.” He brushed his lips against her neck. “I need you, honey. I hunger for you. I have to have you and of course it’s your birthday. Speaking of birthdays I nearly forgot to give you your birthday present.”

  She glanced at the top of his tallboy where she’d put the diamond solitaire when they’d undressed earlier. She tilted her head. “Is senility setting in already? You already gave me my present.”

  He slapped her ass and bounded off the bed. “That was just a teaser.” He walked over to his tallboy and opened the top drawer. When he returned to sit on the bed beside her, he had a small black jeweler’s box in his hand. “This is your real present. I hope you like it. Happy birthday, honey.” He kissed her cheek and handed her the box.

  She sat up but made no effort to open the box. “What is it?”

  “Why don’t you open it and find out?”

  “I will—after you tell me what’s inside.”

  He caressed her ear. “A little something to compliment the solitaire I gave you earlier.”

  “Matching earrings!” She linked her free arm around his neck and kissed him. “Thank you!”

  He leaned away from her, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I guess you really need a pair of diamond earrings?”

  “Do you know a woman who doesn’t?” She grinned at him and opened the box. A beautiful yellow gold diamond solitaire engagement ring sparkled up at her. Her eyes welled with tears and she sucked in a breath. Her throat tightened and her heart raced.

  “Have you ever considered changing your name, Brandi?”

  “What?” She stared at him through a flood of tears. “It’s…an engagement ring, Adrian!”

  “I know.” He took the box from her and slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand. “Brandi Knight is a nice enough name, but it doesn’t have the same ring to it as Brandi Redwolfe does.”

  “Brandi Red…Adrian?” She shoved against his shoulders.

  He stretched out on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

  She leaned over him. “Are you asking me to…?”

  He smiled up at her. “Of course I am. Will you?”

  “But we’ve only known each other two weeks and—”

  “And I’ve hungered for you nearly every second of that time.”

  She fought against the urge to allow herself to be swept away in the joy of the moment. What were the chances of a man with his looks and resources falling so hard for her in such a short time that he’d want to marry her? “Why do you hunger for me?”

  He gave her a weary look. “What do you want me to say?”

  She touched her pussy. “Is there anything inside me besides your cum?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like blood. Did you secrete blood in me when we made love earlier?”

  He eased her onto her back and slid his body on top of hers. He gazed down into her eyes. “Yes. When I’m with you I secrete so much blood, it’s almost scary. I can’t control it or my feelings for you.”

  “Why not?”

  “Clearly you’re a witch.”

  “Adrian! Be serious and tell me what you know I want and need to hear.”

  He buried his face against her neck. “I’m in blood.”

  She bit her lip and cupped a hand over his hair. They were finally getting where she wanted and needed him to be. “With me?”

  “With you and only you, Brandi.”

  She fought back a fresh flood of tears. “Are you sure, Adrian?”

  “Yes. I’m very sure. I have been since five minutes after I saw you. It just took me a little while to accept my fate.”

  “Since five minutes after you saw me, huh? That sounds like revisionist history to me, Adrian.”

  He laughed. “It’s not.”

  She stroked his back. “Then look at me and tell me…say it like you mean it, Adrian and I’ll forgive you for anything and have as many of your babies as you want.”

  “You’re going to do that anyway,” he said with a touch of arrogance. “You’re only fooling yourself if you think you’re not.”

  She raked her nails down his back. “Bastard! Say it like you mean it.”

  “I will if you’ll promise me you’ll let me make sure we’ll never be separated.”

  “Oh, Adrian…don’t…please. Please don’t spoil what will probably be the happiest moment of my life. Say it and make me believe you mean it. Please.”

  “Why should my wanting to be with you forever spoil anything?”

  His voice fairly vibrated with annoyance.

  She kissed his hair. “Be reasonable, Adrian. Fifteen days ago we didn’t even know each other.”

  “What’s your point?”

  “I love you, but I’m not ready to com…to give up my humanity. I like being who I am. But that shouldn’t make any difference to how you feel about me.”

  “It makes a big difference. The thought of losing you…”

  “I need to hear you say how you feel, Adrian…while you’re looking at me.”

  He shuddered against her and lifted his head to look down at her. “I’m in blood with you, Brandi.”

  Her throat tightened. “What exactly does that mean?”

  “Rayna calls it the vampire equivalent to love, but she’s wrong. It’s a much more powerful force than love.” He swallowed before he spoke again. “It means you’re the only woman who’ll ever matter to me again. For me, there are no other women. Just you, Brandi. Just you.”

  “What about the women you—”

  “There won’t be any other women. Just you. You’re the one I hunger for and need to complete me. You’re the only woman I can’t be happy or content without.”

  “So you won’t want to share me with your brothers?”

  “Hell no! I’m not sharing you with anyone.”

  She sighed. Thank God. “You and your brothers don’t share your women?”

  “We used to when we were much younger and new vampires. But even then we only shared women who didn’t mean anything to us.”

  “How many women meant something to you, Adrian?”

  “None. There were a few that I liked more than others, but none of them were important. We don’t share our blood with anyone else. So you can come live with me without any fear that you’ll wake up one morning and find either Conner or Jay sharing your bed instead of me.”

  Come live with him? Was he rescinding his marriage proposal already? Surely a man who claimed to need and want her so much should ask her to marry him and actually mean it. She bit her lip. She’d have to accept what he was willing to give her. Maybe vampires didn’t do marriage. She’d discover that soon enough. Besides, they’d only known each other two weeks. If she moved in with him, she’d have all the time she needed to work on nudging him toward admitting he loved her. Once
he had, whether he liked it or not, marriage was in his future.

  “Brandi?”

  “Yes, Adrian?”

  “You don't want to sleep with either of them. Do you?”

  “No! I didn't even dance with Conner. I sure as hell don't want to sleep with him. He looks like you, but...”

  “He's not me?” He sounded pleased.

  Her lips twitched. “No, he's not. He's far more charming than you'll ever be.”

  He narrowed his gaze. “You think so?”

  “Absolutely, but he’s not bad enough for me. You are just what I want and need, my handsome, blue-eyed vampire.”

  He relaxed his shoulders. “Will you?”

  “Live with you?”

  “No! Marry me?”

  She’d misunderstood his reference about living with him. He did want to marry her! “Yes. Oh, yes, I will, Adrian.”

  He gave her a slow, tender smile.

  “Even though I’m not sure you won’t change your mind.”

  “There’s not a chance in hell of that happening, honey. I’ve had my fill of whoring around with women who mean absolutely nothing to me. I’m more than ready for a world of just two-you and me. I’ll treat you like the treasure you are. I promise.”

  “Really? Is this promise good for more than one night?”

  He stared down at her in silence before his chest shook and the bedroom was filled with the rich, warm sound of his laughter. He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. “It’s good forever.”

  “Forever,” she stroked her fingers through his hair. “I like the sound of forever with you, Adrian Redwolfe.”

  “Forever with you won’t be nearly long enough,” he whispered.

  “You’re sounding more and more like a vampire in blood with me,” she teased.

  “In deep,” he assured her.

  “How long does being in blood last, Adrian?”

  “It lasts forever, my Brandi, my honey…my blood.”

  His blood. Finally he’d called her his blood with as much passion and feeling as she’d used when she confessed to loving him.

  He bent his head to kiss her with a slow, deliberate hunger that left her burning for him. She suspected that loving him wouldn’t be easy, but as she surrendered to her need for him, she knew that being his blood would make whatever came her way as his woman pale in comparison to the bliss they’d share—forever.

  “So you think I’m worth loving?” He demanded, his incisors raking the side of her neck.

  She pushed at his shoulders.

  He rolled onto his back with her lying on top of him.

  “Yes, blue eyes. You’re definitely worth loving.” She sat up, straddled his hips and reached back to press his cock against her entrance. “And worth fucking too,” she teased as she slowly impaled herself on his hard, hot cock. Lord, that felt so good.

  He groaned. “Damn good and getting better all the time, honey.”

  She smiled. Great sex with him was never going to get old. She liked that he expected sex to get better.

  “I have a lot to teach you, honey.” He caressed her stomach. “I have a lot to teach you both.”

  She met his gaze. “You think I’m pregnant?”

  “Yes. Don’t you?”

  She nodded. “Yes. I do.”

  “Are you okay with it if you are?”

  She felt certain she was pregnant and that she would have to work hard to soften Adrian a little. But he was always going to be a vampire. She was okay with that. She reached back to cup her hand over his balls. “Are you?”

  He nodded. “Oh, yes. This couldn’t have happened at a better time. I’m ready to settle down now and be a husband and father. And you’re the perfect woman for me, honey. What about you? I know you have some doubts and concerns.”

  She nodded.

  He caressed her cheek. “I’ll cherish you both forever. I never imagined I could be this content and happy. You have my fidelity for life. I’ve had my fill of whoring around. I won’t stray.”

  “Neither will I,” she quipped.

  He grinned up at her. “Good. Now just in case you’re not pregnant, we’d better start fucking and keep at it.”

  She rotated her hips. “Hmmm. For how long?”

  He slid his palms down her back to her ass. “Forever, my Brandi…my blood.”

  His Brandi. His blood. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

  The End

  Meet Marilyn Lee

  Plus you can visit her website to find out more about her and her coming soon books as well:

  http://www.marilynlee.org

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  [email protected]

  After her bio you will see her books listed that she has out. Many of her books are both in ebook and print formats.

  Marilyn lives, works, and writes on the East Coast of The US. In additional to thoroughly enjoying writing erotic romances in various genres, she enjoys roller-skating, spending time with her large, extended family, and rooting for all her favorite hometown sports teams.

  Her other interests include collecting Doc Savage pulp novels from the thirties and forties and collecting Marvel comics from the seventies and eighties (particularly Thor and The Avengers.) Her favorite TV shows are forensic shows, westerns (Gun smoke and Have Gun, Will Travel are particular favorites), and mysteries (Charlie Chan movies in particular).

  Her all time favorite mystery movie is probably Dead, Again. She’s seen nearly every vampire movie or television show ever made (Forever Knight and Count Yorga, Vampires are favorites. She thoroughly enjoys interacting with readers either through email or via her Yahoo web group.

  Red Rose™ Publishing

  Summer Storm-ebook and print available

  Skin Deep-ebook and print available

  Night Heat- ebook available and coming soon to print

  Eye of the Beholder- ebook available and coming soon to print

  In Blood and Worth Loving- ebook available and coming soon to print

  Ellora’s s Cave

  Bloodlust series:

  Bloodlust 5-Midnight Shadows

  Conquering Mikhel Dumont

  Taming Serge Dumont

  Forbidden Desires

  Nocturnal Heat

  All In The Family

  The Talisman

  Teacher’s Pet

  Night of Desires

  Trina’s Afternoon Delight

  Branded

  Moonlight Desire

  Moonlight Whispers

  Road To Rapture

  The Fall of Troy

  Full Bodied Charmer

  Breathless In Black

  Playing With Fire

  White Christmas

  Pleasure Quest

  Quest III—Return to Volter

  Liquid Silver Books

  Yesterday Day’s Secret Sins

  Changeling Press

  Moonlight Healing

  Soul Mates

  Moonlight Madness Books I & II

  Daughters of Takira Series:

  One Night in Vegas

  Kyla’s Awakening

  Revelations

  Daughters of Takira—complete series

  Loose id

  Falling For Sharde

  Nice Girls Do

  Dream Lover

  The Dare

  Fantasy Knights

  By Genre

  I/R themes or couples

  Teacher’s Pet

  Moonlight Healing

  Night of Desire