Desire by Blood Read online

  “Mr. Blackburn, whatever do you think you are doing?”

  “Shutting you up.”

  Then he bent his head and took possession of her mouth.

  Chapter Two

  Everything in Cordelia stilled; every thought flew out of her head. It was as if time stopped. Then in a rush, reality blazed back to life. Nicodemus Blackburn was kissing her. Her. Bluestocking Cordelia Collingsworth. Why?

  Before she could puzzle that out or contemplate the oddity of Blackburn’s actions, he slid his hands up her arms, cupped her face, and deepened the kiss. His tongue skimmed over her lips. She gasped, and he used the moment to dip inside of her mouth.

  Cordelia knew she should be shocked to her toes. This was everything she had avoided. She did not want to be saddled with her mother’s reputation. But at the moment, her heart was beating so fast she couldn’t think. The masculine scent of him surrounded her, intoxicated her. Blackburn pulled back just a bit, cool air replacing the heat of him. When she slowly opened her eyes, she found him watching her, his gaze brilliant.

  “It works better if you kiss me back.”

  His voice was deep, resonant, filled with something she could not discern. It did not matter if she did not understand, her body responded. Heat shot through her veins causing her to shiver. Without another word, he swooped down to capture her mouth again.

  Every worry she had dissolved as he slanted his mouth over hers. This time she responded the best she could. It was her first true kiss, for she did not count the few stolen kisses early suitors had subjected her to. If they had been as skilled as Blackburn, Cordelia might have been tempted to break the rules.

  Cordelia willingly opened her mouth, allowing Blackburn to slide his tongue in. Little bursts of heat crackled over her nerve endings. Slowly, she skimmed her hands up his chest, over his shoulders, and behind his neck. He took the opportunity to pull her closer, into his warmth. His hands slid down to cup her bottom, pull her tightly against him. Even through the layers of clothing she could feel the beat of his heart.

  Her head spun, her body rejoiced. Tentatively, she slipped her tongue into his mouth, sliding it along his as he had to her. The taste of him burst through her, tart lemonade, a touch of brandy, and Nicodemus Blackburn...that was the most intoxicating part. Every reservation she had dissolved into the glorious passion he was building,

  He growled, the sound vibrating deep in his throat. She shivered at the primal sound. Easily, he walked her backward. Before she could even discern what he was about, she found herself beneath him on the couch. Blackburn tore his mouth from hers only to set about attacking her throat. His tongue slid over her flesh, and the scrape of teeth followed. She heard a moan filled with lustful longing. It took her a moment to realize the wanton sound had come from her.

  Her lungs seized the moment she felt his hand move over her breast. For a moment, sanity tried to take hold. She opened her mouth to tell him to stop. This was insane, and again, it could ruin her. Somewhere in the back of her mind a voice told her to resist, to push him away. In the next instant, his thumb moved over her nipple. It responded, tightening immediately, aching for more attention. Again, he growled, a sound that should have shocked her, but it did not. Something in her reacted immediately. An ache tightened her belly then feathered out over her body. A demand for completion battered her, urging her to ignore everything else. She could do nothing but fall into the morass of lust he was creating.

  Nico gave her bodice a quick, hard tug, causing her full breasts to spill out. He pulled back, and she had a moment of trepidation. Cool air replaced the heat of him. She opened her eyes to find him looking at her. Not at her face, but at her chest. Heat spread from her breasts up into her face as he continued to stare. His eyes were brilliant, his breath coming out in short, choppy bursts. It was the only sound in the room.

  Embarrassed, she moved to cover her bosom, but the rumble from his chest stopped her. Once more, it brought to mind a feral animal. Without moving his attention from her chest, he captured her hands and pulled them back.

  “Sweet Jesus.” Lust deepened his voice as his hungry gaze moved over her.

  Her mortification melted as she realized there was admiration in his tone. He swooped down and took a turgid tip into his mouth as he caressed the other. This was beyond anything she ever imagined, almost as if she could not control her reactions. Delirious with the heat he was creating within her, she speared her fingers through his hair, allowing the dark tresses to slip through her fingers. Closing her eyes, she moaned as he moved to give her other nipple the same treatment as the first. His breath was hot against her flesh. Her heart galloped.

  Nico pulled back slightly. Cordelia allowed her hands to drop from his head and opened her eyes. He was gazing at her again, his face like stone, his nostrils flaring with each breath he took. Without breaking eye contact, he blew on her wet nipple. A tidal wave of need crashed through her. Moist warmth slipped down further as the craving grew within her. She wanted—needed—him in a way she could not understand. Everything in her being called out to him just as it had the first time she had met him.

  She couldn't comprehend why this man...when so many before him had tried and failed. Before she could contemplate why or how, he was moving down her body. When he pulled her skirts up, she protested.

  “Mr. Blackburn.”

  He stilled and looked up at her. The harsh lines of his face were more prominent, his appetite easy to see there. It should scare her, should send her running from that room. Instead, want surged through her, thundering through her blood. She did not even know what she craved, but she knew she wanted it from him.

  “Nico.”

  “W-what?” she asked.

  His jaw moved, telling her he was grinding his teeth. “Call me Nico.”

  “Nico.” Was that her voice? All breathy with desire? What had the man done to her?

  He smiled in response. “I like the sound of my name on your lips.”

  Before she could respond to that, he shoved her skirts to her waist, situating himself between her legs. She felt his hot breath on her most private area.

  “Mr. Blackburn!”

  His head whipped up, an untamed look in his eyes. “Nico.”

  “Nico.”

  He smiled, but it was something close to what she imagined a pirate's smile resembled when he was about to capture a booty. It transfixed her, and he used her hesitation to dip his head and place his mouth on her most private parts.

  Shock came first. It held her frozen as an ice sculpture. But soon the shock dissolved into wicked pleasure. His heated breath warmed her sex before his tongue swept inside. Even with pleasure rushing through her, she tried one last move to dislodge him. She moved her hands to his hair to pull him away, but instead she found her fingers molding to his head, encouraging him. She had never before experienced anything like the sheer delight spiraling through her.

  Cordelia shifted, spreading her legs further apart to allow him more access. He hummed in admiration, the vibrations against her skin shooting throughout her entire body.

  He shifted his body as he kept his mouth on her. When she felt the tip of his finger pressing into her, she stilled again...then shuddered. Thrusting in and out with his finger, he continued to assault her with his tongue. Everything in her tightened, reaching for something she did not comprehend. He added another finger. Her inner muscles tightened on it with each thrust. Heat burst through her, circling her stomach, dropping lower.

  Aggravated, she pulled her legs up, planting her feet on the cushions and lifting up. Another growl rumbled in his chest. Cordelia writhed against his mouth, begging for him to end the torment he had built within her. She had no idea what she was asking for, but she knew he was the one to give it to her.

  With the flick of his tongue, he pushed her over the edge. Delight coursed through her as some unknown dam broke. She convulsed as she burst into a thousand shimmering pieces, screaming his name. Delicious heat swept over her
flesh as she felt herself drain of every bit of the tension he had created.

  As she drifted back down from bliss, she registered Nico crawling back up her body, covering her once again. She opened her eyes and found him watching her as he had earlier, the untamed look in his eyes even brighter now. He braced himself on his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. This time there were no tempting kisses, but complete and utter possession. When his tongue swept into her mouth, she could taste herself there. Her body still shimmered with her release, but he was already building another with his kisses. He pressed his groin against her, allowing her to feel just how aroused he was.

  He pulled away, his eyes still closed, and growled. Unbelievable, she wanted that bliss again, wanted to feel the tension build then explode. Cordelia knew it was wrong, but she didn’t care. Something deep inside her, in the deep recesses of her soul, begged for the completion, to become one with him. It would ruin her, but her morals apparently dissolved the moment he touched her. He moved away, pulling himself up to his knees, his hands on the top of his breeches.

  With greedy eyes, she watched, waited, yearned. But before he could even undo one button, the door crashed opened.

  * * * *

  Wood splintered, blowing into the library with a force so strong it broke pottery. Every predatory sense Nico had went on alert. The lust he had built with Cordelia transformed into anger. When he rose from the couch and saw that it was Hurst, it turned into white hot possessiveness. The beast within him knew the viscount was here to claim Cordelia, that he had sensed Nico in here with her. The civilized part of Nico understood that Hurst did not comprehend his actions. The viscount could not control his behavior, but Nico’s primitive soul did not give a damn. He had not gained completion or even mated with Cordelia, but she was his, and no man would have her.

  The woman in question tried to sit up to see what was going on, but he pushed her back down.

  “Mr. Blackburn!” Her voice was no longer soft and breathless. Now she sounded like a shocked-to-her-toes bluestocking. He would laugh, but he could not find it in him to do so. He glanced down at her, hoping she would read the danger in his eyes. Unfortunately, she was still exposed, her breasts spilling out of her dress. She gave him a disgruntled look, but it was lost because of her dishabille.

  A feral growl came from the doorway, and Nico pulled his attention away from Cordelia. He knew now they had no time left to lose. The stark look of need stamped on the viscount's face told Nico he was sliding into Blood Lust, Cordelia as his subject and prize.

  Without taking his gaze from the approaching man, Nico said to Cordelia, “Stay down.” Hoping she would listen to him, he braced his hands on the back of the sofa and jumped over, swinging his legs to hit the viscount in his groin.

  The Made vampire went down with a grunt, but not two seconds later he was back up and charging. Nico braced himself as the younger man rushed toward him. Nico punched him, his fist scoring a direct hit. The crack of bone filled the air around them. He heard a gasp behind him, and glancing back over his shoulder, he saw Cordelia, still on the sofa, her bodice pulled up, but her hair hanging in silken waves down over her shoulders. Momentarily, he could do nothing but stare. The taste of her was still on his lips, the scent of her calling to him. He could hear her blood pulsing through her body, seducing him. He needed to feed from her. Rustling sounded behind him, and he realized Cordelia was looking over his shoulder. Her eyes widened with alarm.

  “Nico!”

  He turned and found the viscount charging him again, but this time, Nico did not have time to prepare. They both went tumbling over the sofa, Cordelia jumping out of their path and moving behind a chair. Once he registered she was out of the way and unhurt, he went about subduing the viscount. It was not easy as they toppled over onto the floor. Nico landed on his back, and before he could react, the other man's hands were around his neck, his fingers digging into Nico's flesh.

  “Mine!”

  Hurst screamed the word. It echoed through the chamber, the meaning of it not lost on Nico. Hurst thought of Cordelia as his. The scent of her arousal hung heavy in the air, easy for any vampire to smell. Since she was a Carrier, the younger Made vampire would become homicidal, seeing that his prize, his possession, had been stolen from him. He could see that Hurst’s teeth had already descended. He lowered his head to Nico’s neck.

  A crack sounded and pieces of porcelain cascaded over Nico. The fingers around his neck slackened as Hurst turned to look over his shoulder. It gave Nico enough time to push the viscount back and reverse their positions. Hurst’s head slapped against the corner of the marbled table as they went down. The younger man’s body went limp beneath Nico. He felt for a pulse and found it beating hard against his fingers.

  “What the bloody hell is going on?”

  Nico looked up and found Gray staring at them. The young duke’s face went quickly from shock to recognition when he noticed Hurst lying on the floor.

  “What the hell does it look like happened?” Nico asked as he picked himself up. His attention was on Cordelia who stood staring at Hurst, her eyes dilated with shock. Even though she had pulled up her bodice, there was a tear along the neckline. Her hair was completely undone. The soft, golden curls lay tangled over her shoulders. Just looking at her made his body ache, and it was not the sweet ache of desire. The need to comfort her stirred within him. He rose to his feet and walked to her, wanting nothing more than to soothe her worries. Hurst had not gotten his hands on her, so she was safe in that quarter. But Nico had taken advantage of her...seduced her without a thought of what he was doing. He had never done so with an innocent. Before she had time to recover from that, Hurst had burst in ready to kill.

  “Cordelia?”

  She looked up, but more through him than at him. A shiver danced over his flesh and cooled his blood. All the color had drained from her face, and she looked like she might start crying any minute.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, amazed at how gentle his voice had turned.

  “All right?” She blinked, her eyes finally focusing on him. She glanced down at the viscount then back up at him. “No, I am not all right. Bloody hell.”

  A muffled snort came from the direction of Gray.

  “The man is insane,” Cordelia said.

  “Yes. Hurst—”

  “I am not talking about Hurst,” she spat out. She stalked over to him, anger vibrating off her in waves. “He has always been odd. You, on the other hand, have a lot to answer for. Just what was that about and how did Hurst make it through the door?”

  For a moment, he didn’t respond. He could not. It took him a second to comprehend she was not angry because he seduced her. Cordelia seemed more upset by the fight afterwards. And she spoke to him as if he were a naughty schoolboy who had misbehaved.

  He ground his teeth together. “I’ll explain all of this later.”

  She poked him in the chest, color flooding back into her face. Her eyes blazed with angry passion. Her body shimmered with indignation. By God she was something. His blood heated, and his teeth began to descend again. If he did not gain control of the situation, he would lose himself to passion once more.

  “You will tell me now.”

  “We have no time now.”

  She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “I’m not moving from this spot until someone tells me just what is going on.”

  God, she was going to drive him crazy. His body begged for relief. One more word from her and he might just lose control. He drew in a deep breath, trying to calm his temper…and his lust.

  He stepped closer to her, so close he could feel her heat, smell her arousal. “Any moment, we will become fodder for gossip.”

  Her eyes widened, comprehension sliding over her face. She opened her mouth, but another high-pitched voice interrupted her.

  “My gracious. What is going on here?”

  All three of them turned and found the lady of the house, Lady Francis Smythe, the most notorio
us gossip in the ton, gaping at them.

  “Is that Hurst?” She squinted, looking through the darkness. Her gaze rolled over all of them, then focused on Cordelia. Her eyes sharpened, and a look of astonishment moved over the lady’s face then dissolved into evil pleasure.

  “Why, Lady Cordelia, your hair is a mess.” Her gaze slid down further. “Whatever happened to your dress?”

  Chapter Three

  “You will have to marry her,” Malik said as he watched Nico pace.

  Nico threw his best friend a threatening look but did not stop walking. “I know. It is not as if I do not understand the implications.”

  “If you do, then what the bloody hell were you doing in the Smythe’s library with her?” Gray asked.

  Irritation crawled down his spine and had him growling at the duke. Gray may be a peer of the realm, but Nico did not have the patience to deal with him—not tonight. “I did not plan that. She came into the library trying to escape Hurst. By the way, where is the viscount?”

  “Down in the dungeon,” Gray said.

  Nico stopped and looked down at the floor then back up at Malik. “Gray has a dungeon in his townhouse?”

  Malik’s lips twitched. “Not so easy. Gray over there might be easily led astray, but I am not. What are you doing about the Collingsworth chit?”

  Nico sighed. “I’ll marry her. Even if I had not ruined her reputation, it goes beyond that. I cannot leave her without protection. She’s a Carrier.”

  Surprise lit Malik’s light green eyes. “I did not know of it.”

  “I looked at father’s list.” Gray shook his head. “There is no mention of her mother being a Carrier.”

  “Bloodlines?” Nico asked.

  “That will take a bit more research. I’ve dispatched a message to my father about it. It is definitely his area of expertise. He might know who her birth father is, but that means nothing. The Carrier gene runs through the female line. Her father did not have to be a Born for her to be one.”