In Blood and Worth Loving Read online

  She came within minutes of ingesting his blood. It took him longer than it usually did to come inside her.

  They had sex three times before he lifted her slender body in his arms and carried her up to her bedroom.

  He stretched out on his back on her big bed. The usual afterglow he felt after sex with her was missing. He struggled in vain to keep his thoughts from turning to Brandi. Where was she? Had Conner arrived and reassured her? What did she think of Conner?

  The unwelcome thought that she and Conner might find each other attractive, shook him. Hell, no! She and Conner were welcome to each other. Perhaps he should have warned Conner not to let his emotional guard down with her. But Conner was capable of taking care of himself. Adrian forced himself to think of Marcella.

  She sat at her vanity brushing the long, dark blond hair that nearly stretched to her slender waist. He glanced down at her ass. She had a cute, tiny ass. Visions of a darker, fuller, rounder ass haunted him.

  Even though he occasionally enjoyed fucking human women, he’d always known vampire fems made the best lovers. They were as passionate as human women, without their baggage. They didn’t stoop to emotional blackmail or expect an exquisite fuck to mean anymore than an ordinary one. They didn’t wear a man out with talk of love and wanting something “real” with him. Human women were more trouble than they were worth. To hell with human women in general and Brandi Knight in particular! In the future, he’d restrict his sexual interest to fems.

  With her pale skin, slender curves, long, blond hair, and sea green eyes, Marcella was his ideal woman. She was beautiful, graceful, and intelligent. Why couldn’t he envision a monogamous relationship with her?

  Abruptly recalling the ecstasy of sex with Brandi and of the emotions she’d stirred, he clenched his jaw. Damn the bitch! What the hell had she done to him? Unable to dismiss thoughts of her, he reluctantly admitted he could fuck Marcella until the next century and still not be able to banish memories of his all too brief time with Brandi.

  Marcella turned to smile at him. “Ready for round two lover?”

  Why the hell couldn’t he stop wishing Marcella were taller with much darker skin, and God forbid, a bigger ass, and naturally large breasts? Although Marcella’s breasts were nearly as large as Brandi’s they weren’t natural.

  “Adrian?” She rose and crossed the room to stare down at him. “What’s the matter?”

  “What makes you think anything’s wrong?”

  She sat on the side of the bed and palmed him. “This makes me know something is wrong.”

  He glanced at his cock, frowning. “What?”

  “You’re not erect.”

  “So?”

  “So I can’t remember the last time seeing me nude didn’t get you hard in record time. Please don’t tell me I’m losing my fuck appeal, darling.” She closed her fingers around him and pumped him until his cock slowly hardened. “That’s more like it.” Smiling, she climbed onto the bed, positioned herself over him, and took his entire length into her wet pussy with a low moan. “Oh…hell…feeling your oversized dong sliding up into me isn’t ever going to get old, lover.” She stretched out on top of him and quickly fucked herself up and down on him.

  He closed his eyes and fought to keep thoughts of Brandi at bay as they fucked.

  Later, after she slept curled against his side, he lay staring up at the ceiling. A picture of Brandi’s face with tear-filled eyes stared down at him.

  He closed his eyes only to find her image imprinted on his lids.

  Does seeing something good and decent and worth loving in you…worth loving in you…

  He couldn’t recall the last time anyone other than his brothers or Rayna thought him worth loving. The power the words and the sentiments behind them had on him unnerved him.

  Marcella stirred against him, yawned, and sat up. “Are you ready to talk about her now?”

  “About who?”

  “About the female with the pungent blood?”

  Marcella had clearly detected Brandi’s blood when she’d ingested his. “No.”

  “What’s her name, lover?”

  “Brandi…with an I.”

  “Brandi with an I must be a hell of a woman.”

  Oh, she was.

  “Human?”

  He nodded.

  “Blonde?”

  “I want to forget her not talk about her, Marcella.”

  She stroked her hand over his belly to his cock. “Are you going to be able to do that?”

  “Of course I am. If you help me.”

  She turned to press her cool lips against his. “Of course I’ll help you, lover, but I have a feeling we’ve reached the end of our time together.” She paused.

  He remained silent. What did she want him to say?

  She sighed. “Never mind, lover. We both knew this day would come when one of us needed to walk away.”

  “I’m still here.”

  “But not for long?”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted.

  “Well, while you are here, let’s enjoy each other.” She rose over him and impaled herself on his cock.

  Brandi sat in the living room of the cabin with the telephone directory opened to the taxi section. Rayna hadn't answered her calls. She didn't want to call any of her friends because they'd want to know how she'd come to be stranded. Calling Doug was out of the question. She sighed and reached for the cordless phone.

  She heard a vehicle approaching. She tensed, uncertain what Adrian’s mood would be.

  The engine cut off and moments later, there was a light tapping at the entrance door before she heard a key turn and the door opened. Adrian entered.

  Her heart raced and a smile curved her lips. He’d come back for her and to her. She bounded to her feet, ready to forgive him. She met the dark blue gaze. It bore no intimacy and was completely void of recognition.

  Her smile vanished. This wasn’t Adrian.

  The man who was clearly Adrian's twin remained by the closed door. He smiled. “You must be Brandi. I’m Conner Redwolfe. Adrian asked me to take you home.” He glanced at her weekend bag near her feet. “Are you ready?”

  She hesitated. Adrian had been furious with her when he left. He must surely have confided in his twin. Would she be any safer with him than she’d be with Adrian? And what must he think of her knowing she’d willingly agreed to spend a weekend with a complete stranger? “Before or after?”

  He arched a brow. “Before or after what?”

  “Will you take me home before or after you terrorize me?”

  “Terrorize you?” He sighed and shook his head. “I have no desire or intentions of frightening you, honey.”

  Was his word any more reliable than Adrian’s? “Could you just please contact Rayna and asked her to come pick me up?”

  “She’s in Hawaii. I assure you you’ll be safe with me.”

  “That’s what Adrian said and then…”

  “I’m sorry if he frightened you, but you have no need to fear me.”

  He didn’t project any of the anger or menace Adrian had. She wanted to trust him. But should she?

  “It’s all right,” he assured her. “It’s clear Adrian frightened you, but he also made sure you’d have a way home. He has a temper, but he’s not a hard ass. He cared enough to make sure I’d come make sure you got safely home.”

  She wanted to cling to that assurance and believe Adrian had even an ounce of concern for her.

  “You look like you could use a hug.”

  Yes—from Adrian.

  He extended a hand.

  She bit her lip.

  He beckoned to her. “It’s all right. Come.”

  He exuded an aura of warmth she didn’t want to have to resist. She rose and crossed the room to stand close to him.

  He reached out and drew her against him.

  She curled her fingers in his jacket, closing her eyes on a sob.

  He hugged her. “It’s okay, honey. You will be safe wi
th me. I promise.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes.”

  She lifted her head to glance up at him. “Does your promise extend beyond one night?”

  He arched a brow but nodded. “Yes.”

  She believed him. She relaxed, laying her head on his shoulder.

  He brushed his lips against her hair. “I’ll see you safely home, honey. And if you like, you can tell me what happened between you and Adrian.”

  She pulled away, shaking her head. “I don’t want to talk about him.”

  “Okay. We won’t talk about him.” He drew her back into his arms.

  She felt his lips against her forehead and relaxed against him. “I just want to forget him.”

  He sighed. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I’m sure.”

  He released her. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.”

  He crossed the room to pick up her bag before moving to open the entrance door. “After you.”

  She gave the retreat a long last look and walked across the room and out the door.

  Conner held the car door open for her. He kept up a pleasant but non-demanding conversation as they began the journey home. Finally, she started to relax. Her cell phone rang forty-five minutes into the drive. She glanced at the outer display of her clamshell. It was Doug.

  She cast a quick look at Conner.

  He stared straight ahead.

  Should she answer it or allow it to go to voicemail?

  “Go ahead,” he said. “Answer it.”

  Great. Was he going to read her mind too? She opened the phone and put it to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Brandi. I was wondering if we could have dinner tonight.”

  With Adrian’s mirror image seated so close, her resolve to see Doug wavered. “I’m not home yet and I’m a little tired.”

  “Can I call you later tonight to discuss your birthday?”

  “My birthday?” She smiled. “You remembered.”

  “Of course I remembered. I was hoping we could celebrate it together at my place at the shore.”

  She had spent two weekends at his small beachfront house at the New Jersey shore when they’d dated before. Now the thought of walking along the beach with a man with an even temper who wanted more than a weekend of meaningless sex appealed to her.

  “That might be nice.”

  “Yeah?” He sounded pleased.

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Great. We’ll make arrangements later.”

  “Ok.”

  “Have a safe trip home, sweet.”

  “Thanks. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Brandi ended the call and put her cell phone back in her shoulder bag. Had Conner heard Doug’s end of the conversation? If so, would he share what he’d heard with Adrian? If he did, how would Adrian react?

  Chapter Ten

  “I’d like to stretch my legs. Let’s stop for coffee,” he suggested.

  “Okay.”

  “Great.”

  She glanced at his smiling profile. He was as handsome as Adrian, but he smiled a lot more than Adrian. He was easier to be around than Adrian. So why couldn’t she stop thinking about Adrian?

  They stopped for coffee at a small country diner several miles from the highway.

  She had a sandwich with her coffee. Although the coffee was hot and milky as she liked it, she found herself comparing it unfavorably to the tea Adrian had made her. The sooner she started dating Doug again the sooner she could forget Adrian.

  On the remainder of the drive back to Philly Conner showed her all the consideration Adrian hadn’t. Yet it was Adrian who she wished was seated beside her. Getting over him was going to take a little more effort than she’d expected.

  Conner insisted on carrying her bag inside her apartment and checking to make sure it was secure. He was so kind she felt compelled to ask if he wanted a cup of coffee before he left.

  “What a charming offer, but I’m afraid I’ll have to pass.” He glanced around. “Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?”

  Brandi shook her head. “No. Thanks.” She hesitated.

  He waited in silence.

  It felt strange to offer him her hand after the intimacy she and Adrian had shared. “Thank you for coming to get me and for driving me home.”

  He placed both hands over hers, flashing her a warm smile. “It was my pleasure. If you need to talk or if I can help you in any way, please feel free to call me.” He released her hand and handed her a card from his wallet. “Here are all my numbers. You can call anytime—day or night.”

  While she appreciated the offer, she would not be calling him to discuss Adrian. “Thanks again.”

  He leaned down to kiss her cheek before he left.

  Alone, she castigated herself for not having at least asked him where Adrian was and who he was with. The thought of some other woman kissing his lips and raking her nails up and down his back as she enjoyed his hard cock, made her wild with jealousy.

  Adrian found Conner lying on one of the sofas in the family room reading when he arrived home early Sunday morning. After a night of sex with casual lovers, instead of feeling relaxed, he felt tense and angry.

  He sank onto a loveseat opposite Conner. “Did you…”

  “See Brandi safely home? Of course I did.” He closed his book and placed it on the sofa beside him.

  Adrian sighed. “Go ahead. Ask.”

  “All right. I will. What happened between you two?”

  Had she told Conner how close he had come to raping her? “Nothing that she didn’t precipitate.”

  “So whatever happened was her fault?”

  Does seeing something good and decent and worth loving in you…He raked his hand through his hair and shrugged.

  “She asked me if I intended to terrorize her.”

  “I didn’t terrorize her!”

  “What did happen between you two?”

  Feeling guilt and remorse knotting in his gut, he shot to his feet. “I don’t want to talk about her.”

  “Fine. So it’s over between you two?”

  “Yes.” He walked towards the door.

  “Great. Then I won’t be stepping on your toes when I take her out.”

  Adrian swung around to stare at Conner. “When you take her out where?”

  “To dinner. I asked her out.”

  “You asked her…and she said yes?”

  Conner nodded. “Like you, I don’t often get rejected.”

  “The little bitch!”

  Conner arched a brow. “I’m assuming you got what you wanted so there’s no need to malign her, Adrian.”

  He bared his incisors. “Don’t preach to me, Conner!”

  “Who’s preaching? I’m just saying there’s no need to call her names.”

  “When I want your advice, I’ll ask for it.”

  “When I think you need advice, Adrian, I’ll offer it whether you asked for it or not. She didn’t strike me as a bitch.”

  “You only spent two hours with her. So how would you know?”

  “What makes you think I only spent two hours with her?”

  The implication of Conner’s words infuriated him. “What? You…you spent more than two hours with her?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  Conner shrugged. “I wanted to get to know her.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not?” he countered.

  “Just how well did you want to get to know her, Conner?”

  “Not as well as you did.”

  Instead of reassuring him, Conner’s answer made him angrier. “Why the hell did you ask her out?”

  “You can ask that after having fondled that big ass and sucked that magnificent rack of hers?”

  Conner’s use of such language in relationship to Brandi infuriated him. He clenched his hand into a fist. “I asked you to take her home not behave like a dirty old man with her.”