“Don’t you feel it?” he asked, his throat almost closing. “Don’t you feel the pull between us?”

She leaned in breathing hard. “Can we take this out of the pool?”

“Sure.” He kicked his legs, pulling them both to the edge, and picking her up and sitting her on the side before hauling himself out. Standing up he walked over and snatched a towel, coming back and holding out his hand to Kimber. “Come, it’s too cold to talk here.”

She reached up, her fingers entwining with his and he helped her up, wrapping the towel around her before picking her up to her protestations. “Put me down. I can walk just fine.”

“I like you where you are,” he quipped back, continuing down the stairs to the bedroom, kicking the door open at the same time as sending his senses out to check that they were alone. Suzette was no longer in there, thank goodness, so he released Kimber and turned to close the door, locking it for good measure.

Turning back to the woman who was his future, he stepped in and ran a finger down the side of her face, his eyes taking in the beauty of the woman chosen just for him. Her eyes were now gazing up at him with so many emotions rolling through them but he was certain that she felt the draw to him just as much as he’d been drawn to her. He bent his head, inhaling her scent, the one that had called to him—wildflowers and honey. His arm snaked around to hold her against his nakedness.

“Now, tell me honestly, Kimber, surely you feel our connection. The Bloodmate calling deep inside. You must feel it, baby,” Victor whispered against her hair, holding her firmly as his heart thundered in his chest with fear cascading through him. Surely she did. The Goddess wouldn’t send him someone who didn’t feel as he did. That just wasn’t possible.

Her blood thundered through her body. He heard it, felt it, smelled it, and could almost taste it in the air as she breathed heavily against his chest before finally she answered, “I feel it, Victor. I’m just not sure how this works. As I said earlier. You keep saying I’m yours but you’ve never said anything about . . .”

He reared back, his eyes seeking hers as he sought to calm her fears and lay to rest any concerns she had. “I’m yours, baby. All yours. From now and forever I’ll be yours. All of me is yours, every damn inch, every part of me, my fucking soul is yours to do with as you wish, Kimber. I’ll never leave you and I’ll always love you, cherish you, and take care of you. I’ll protect you from any damn thing that tries to hurt you and if anyone ever tries to come for you again then they’ll have to kill me to get anywhere near you. I promise you that! So, the answer to your question is quite simple . . . you are mine as much as I am yours.”

Her breathing hitched, a flash of red showing in her eyes as her tongue darted out to run along her bottom lip before she let out a soft noise. One that he’d never heard before. A sound that was high-pitched and barely audible but he clearly heard it before her hands reached up to land on his chest, her fingers splayed wide. “Oh shoot, shit, and holy hell. It’s happening.”

That sound tore from her mouth again, a keening sound and her body trembled as her fingernails dug into his skin. Victor tightened his hold on her, worry careening through him. “Kimber, what the hell is wrong? Are you in pain? Should I get someone? A doctor?”

He had no idea what was going on, but the sounds she was making together with her careening heartbeat, flush of her skin and her “wide-eyed deer caught in a headlight” look, made him absolutely terrified for her. His head whipped around, searching for his cell, and then he remembered his clothes were littered upstairs, including his phone in his pocket. Damn, he’d have to use the landline. “Kimber, I need you to come with me so I can use the phone, baby. I can have a doctor here in five minutes. Just come with me to the bed and I’ll call right now.”

Her eyes raised, seeking his as she shook her head. “That’s not necessary. I’m not sick.”

“Well, what the heck’s wrong?” Victor couldn’t help himself, his tone was sharp as his concern showed.

Her plump lips tugged up at the side, her eyes briefly flashing red once more before she replied, “I’ve felt it too. This connection you talk of. I’ve dreamt of you but it wasn’t until you spoke of being mine that it happened . . . the Dragon mating lure took hold and that’s what’s happening to me right now. I guess it’s the same as what you call your Bloodmate, but it’s very intense and it’s taking hold inside me, Victor. It’s readying me for my mate and to be, well, I’m embarrassed to be discussing this with you. You’re not a Dragon and don’t know our ways.”

Victor felt her every emotion but couldn’t understand her embarrassment. “Tell me. I’m not quite sure why you’d be so self-conscious or embarrassed.”

Kimber blushed completely scarlet, all the way from her chest, up her throat and over her face and even her ears turned red as she blustered, “When this happens, the female gets ready to, well, accommodate her mate and to bless their union with children. I’m not even sure if that’s possible. I mean, you’re a Vampire and I’m a Dragon and I wasn’t aware that you could even have kids but my body is already on fire and preparing and it’s . . . uncomfortable to say the least and my hormones will soon be out of control.”

He couldn’t believe he’d heard right. Her body was preparing itself to have children? His children. That was impossible . . . wasn’t it? Yes. He’d never heard of a Vampire fathering a kid . . . or maybe he had but he’d always thought it was a story made up with not a shred of truth in it. Shit, he’d have to find out if that were the case. Or not.

Could they produce a child? A family?

Hell, that was something so far out there that his brain couldn’t compute it. It was something for another day, another time when they could look into things properly. Not for now. Not for the time when they should be consummating their bond.

“I’ve no idea if I could or couldn’t father a child, Kimber,” Victor replied honestly. “It’s something that we’d need to research. Right now, what I’m more interested in is that you’ve recognized me as your mate . . . that is what’s happened. Isn’t it?”

“Yes.” The word came out strangled, high pitched and as if she were in pain. “Victor,” she breathed his name on a sigh, her fingers trailing up his torso, reaching for his lips. “I’m your mate. There’s no doubt about that . . . the rest is for another day, another time. For now, you need to take me to bed and sate me or I’ll burn up with the desire eating me up inside and I mean that literally.”

Her eyes sparked red again except this time he saw flames dance across her irises. Actual flames lighting within as she pressed her body against his. He could feel the heat of her skin against his own cool nakedness, his hand whisking the towel away to caress her curves, one landing on her plump ass and pulling her hard against his now throbbing cock. “I’ll take care of you, baby. I promise.”

Picking her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to his over-sized bed where he gently placed her down. Her face flushed and eyes filled with desire locked with his. “I’m yours, Victor. My Dragon recognizes you as our mate and will take no other, from now until the end of my life.”

“I’m yours, Kimber, and I’ll always be yours.” His lips covered hers in a searing kiss that stopped his heart with the sheer power of the emotions that overwhelmed him as love for the woman beneath him engulfed him body and soul. Victor had never felt anything like it in his very long life, it was so intense and forceful that he saw stars briefly before he refocused on his Bloodmate, her eyes wide and just as shocked as he was.

“Wow!” she gasped. “What was that?”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted, peppering kisses along the soft skin of her throat. His reward being her soft moans of pleasure rippling from her lips. “But I think it’s our bond being cemented. Powerful, huh?”

“Hmm, yeah.” Kimber sighed, pushing her breast up toward him as his mouth sucked her nipple inside to tease it with his tongue and rake his teeth along its pebbled bud.

Reaching down between them he nudged open her thighs, his fingers delving between her folds to find them warm, hot and already sopping wet. Her legs opened wider, giving him greater access and he slid a thick finger inside her tight walls, hooking it to tap against her g-spot. She writhed beneath him, her hands reaching to grab onto his shoulders, her fingers digging into his muscles as he worked her into a frenzy of desire. He released her breast with a pop, rearing back to watch her face as he brought her to the brink of her first orgasm in his bed. The first of thousands they’d share together.

“That’s it, beautiful, let it come.” He coaxed it from her, tapping furiously as she bucked beneath him, his cock aching to be inside her. Kimber’s eyes closed as she neared the precipice but he needed to see it so he ordered, “Open your eyes, Kimber, look at me. Let me see it. Show me what it does to you, baby.”

Her gorgeous eyes popped open, her face covered in a sheen of sweat as she gasped, “I’m almost there, oh shoot, Victor, that feels amazing.”

“I know, darling.” Victor locked eyes with hers, watching every nuance as her juices dripped over his hand. “Come for me, my Bloodmate, fall apart before me and show me your desire.”

And that’s what she did. Right before his eyes she came so hard her body shook from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Her breasts shook as her orgasm overtook her entire body as she screamed his name, her nails digging into his skin so hard it drew blood although the wounds healed instantaneously. She was still within the throws of her ecstasy when he withdrew his hand and slid his steely length slowly inside her. Kimber’s sheath sucked him in, clamping tightly around him and he worried that he would hurt her, she was so small compared to him.

She seemed to sense his reticence, her legs moving to wrap around his ass and urge him on. “It’s okay, big guy, you’re not hurting me.”

“Are you sure?” he had to ask. “I feel so big and you feel so damn tight.”

“You are big.” She smirked up at him through her lust-filled eyes. “But you made me nice and ready and I promise it’s not painful. What is painful is you stopping. Please, Victor, continue because I’m ready to combust if you don’t.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the pout on her face, her fingers now in his hair and tugging on it to bring his head down so her plump lips could latch onto his in a searing kiss full of longing and a passion that matched his own. Pulling his cock out slowly he thrust back in, torturing her with his movements until she was thrashing around beneath him and on the brink of another ecstasy filled orgasm. His own was right there too but he held off by the skin of his teeth, determined to prolong his own pleasure until he’d wrung one more from Kimber before allowing himself his own. Her tongue clashed with his, swirling around inside his mouth as they tasted one another, her unique flavor was exquisite, delicate and delightful. He was certain he could live for an eternity and never taste anything as superb as his Bloodmate’s wonderfully superb palate.

Kimber’s walls tightened around him, strangling his length and pulling him deeper inside her as her head fell back onto the bed. Her mouth opening in a loud shriek as her orgasm took hold. He thrust harder, pulling out and pumping in again and again, his hips pounding against her as he finally allowed his own release with a roar breaking free to shake the bedside lamps and her name falling from his lips, every muscle in his body taut as he held himself above her as his seed emptied deep within his one, his only, his Bloodmate.

“I fucking adore you, baby,” he sighed, dropping to the side and pulling her on top of him, holding her tightly against him. “I’ll never let you go. Never.”

“Good, ‘cause I’m not going anywhere, Victor. This is just where I want to be, in your arms and in your bed.” She smirked up at him. “Can we have round two in that huge shower of yours?”

He smiled widely as he smacked her ass. “Yeah, and three can be in the tub and you can pick where four is. I’ll have a think of where five can be. Deal?”

“Deal.” Kimber giggled as she rolled off the bed and ran for the bathroom.