“So what the fuck are you?”

Tove watched him with a sharp gaze, her weight perfectly balanced on the balls of her feet and her hands held loosely in front of her. It was the poise and attitude of an experienced fighter and as alluring to him as the curvy figure under the skin-tight leather she wore.

Zane shrugged. “You know what I am, angel… I’m a vampire.”

She snorted. “I’m no fucking angel and neither are you just a vampire.” Tilting her head, she regarded him through the one eye he could see. “You’ve got something else going on there under the hood, something way more powerful.”

Her eyes were violet. A lovely, clear violet. At least the one he could see was…which brought him back to her violent reaction when he’d almost kissed her.

His brow creased. She hadn’t seemed opposed the to the idea. Seemed really into him in fact. Until he’d touched her face…then she’d gone batshit crazy and tried to turn him into crispy critter with that power bolt.

“I tell you what, My Lady… you tell me your secrets.” He nodded toward the hidden side of her face. “And I will bare all for you.”

Silence reigned between them for a moment and then she shrugged, dropping her head forward a little, her gaze still locked onto him.

“You do know I’ll find her, don’t you? Then where will you be, little bloodsucker?”

Her voice was a soft whisper of sound in the silence of the night, but he heard her easily. The rest of his brethren had fled the court, probably the city as well, leaving their earl with his prize. Alone. Good, because he didn’t plan on sharing her with anyone.

His lips quirked. “How about you come over here and I’ll show you how… little I am.”

He’d be amazed if this went anywhere, but he didn’t care. It had been so long since he’d found a woman he couldn’t hypnotize or bend to his will—one who wasn’t a shifter, or, he shuddered, a pixie—that he reveled in it.

She arched one delicate eyebrow. “Does that line work often for you, handsome?”

He couldn’t help it. He barked out a laugh. “Beautiful, and a delight as well. How did I get so lucky that you walked into my web?”

“A web? Is that it?” Her eye widened as though in shock, but he caught the slight curve of her lips. “Oh my word, that’s it… You’re part spider, aren’t you?”

He circled her, unable to help the caressing glance he slid down her figure. She was strong and beautiful, curvy as fuck… and she set even his cold blood on fire. With a start he realized his body had reacted, his cock hard and engorged with blood, tenting his pants in salute of her. A reaction he hadn’t initiated, fed by a heartbeat he hadn’t started… the not dead part of himself overruling the vampire.

“Ack…” He pressed a hand to his chest dramatically. “You have found me out. I’m a spider and I intend to wrap you in my web.”

She smiled, turning her head to follow his movements. He knew she didn’t need to. No, this was not about one preternatural creature tracking another. This was more about the tension between man and woman.

So why had she shoved him away? What dance were they performing here… a slow and dreamy waltz or something far raunchier and dirtier?

“Are you sure you’re the spider?” She caught his gaze and he sucked in a breath. Heat shot through his veins and it was all he could do not to close the gap between them, pull her into his arms and crush her lips beneath his.

“My sisters…” She gave a small smile. “They call me the Black Widow. So be careful I don’t wrap you in my web and lead you to your doom.”

He paused in front of her, so close that she had to look up to meet his gaze. “A doom I would accept happily in exchange for one taste of you.”

Again, that little quirk of her lips. “You sell yourself cheaply for the mere press of lips to lips. I would have thought a man in your position… an earl no less, would have had a firmer grasp of the bargaining process.”

It was his turn to grin, letting slip a little slyness into his expression. “Who said anything about a taste of your lips, sweetness?”

Her look of surprise was so complete it had to be real. He bit back his smile and circled again, stepping in close to her back. She caught a breath, releasing it on a sigh as he used the backs of his curled fingers to stroke up the bare skin of her arms.

Emboldened by the fact she hadn’t tried to rip his head off, he moved closer. His chest met her back as he slid a hand around her waist, easing her back against him as his lips whispered over the side of her neck.

“And they do say a vampire’s kiss is the most pleasurable thing on the face of the Earth… I’m not sure it is though. It’s what the mortals say, and what do they know about such things, what with their mundane senses. I think it needs someone properly qualified to make that decision. Like…oh say, an angel of death itself. What do you think?”

* * *

I knew vampires were master seducers, but fuck me, Zane was good.

As his clean scent wrapped around me, I could smell citrus from his shampoo and the crisp scent of his cologne laid over the unmistakable scent of warm man. There was no scent of death or corruption, and his heart beat almost as fast as mine. No vampire could do that. Just like no vampire’s presence should tingle enticingly against my senses like his did.

“You make a good point.” My voice emerged far huskier than I’d intended. Sexier, even for me. Not the sexy persona, the “Widow,” I used to lure my prey, but the real me. “Keep talking, handsome.”

I should be pushing him for more information, asking questions about why I could feel my sister so strongly but couldn’t see her. It no longer seemed important though. There was a reason it should be, but I couldn’t bring it to mind just at the moment with all my concentration on the man behind me.

Man. Not vampire.

How could I have mistaken him for one of the undead? Life practically radiated from him, easing something in the center of my chest I hadn’t realized hurt.

“Talk? I can think of better things to do with my lips.” The sentence was softly spoken as he turned me around. A small part of my brain screamed that this was too fast, too soon… that he was a vampire, but I shoved it right down and ignored it.

Men just did not do this to me… my sisters, yes, because they were fucking stunning…but not me, not after the changeling had fucked up my face. And I wanted more. Way more. Fuck, I never wanted it to end.

He was so close, the heat of his body beating against mine as he looked down at me. His gaze was locked to mine, unwavering in its intensity. It should have been intimidating, but it wasn’t. It was intimate… electrifying. Sensual. Tension crackled between us with so much heat I was surprised the air itself didn’t burst into flames.

He slid a hand around my waist, fingers spreading out over the back of my hips, and pulled me up against him. He was hard, all over. Holy crap, was he hard. His heavily carved muscles felt like granite under my hands and the thick, hard bar of his cock pressed insistently against my stomach.

A moan whispered free of my throat before I could stop it, hips rocking against his in a nonverbal, feminine plea to take this to the next level. His intake of breath made me smile. Turnabout was fair play.

A hand cupping the nape of my neck, his lips covered mine.

No, not covered. That was far too tame a word for what he did. He took. He dominated. He owned.

And I was more than happy to let him.

His lips left a brand on mine, parting them with a hard sweep of his tongue. It was my turn to catch my breath as he didn’t delve within immediately. Instead he pulled at my lower lip, nipping it lightly. Then not so lightly. He held onto the plump flesh and pulled gently. Just enough to make me moan. The sharp pleasure-pain sent thrills through my body, and desire simmered through my veins.

I parted my lips in invitation and he surged forward, filling my mouth with his tongue. Sliding, stroking… seeking mine to tangle with. All my higher thought processes scattered, and I acted on pure instinct. With a tiny murmur I moved closer to press myself into the circle of his arms.

Need filled me, the like of which I’d never known before. I needed to touch and be touched… was this the lure of the vampire’s kiss? I had no clue, and quite frankly, I didn’t care. All I cared about was making sure he carried on kissing me. Carried on touching me. It was like the dam had broken. After so many years of not being touched, of not needing that touch, I needed it now. With the craving of a years-hardened drug addict. As instantly as the thought entered my head, I knew that was it. I would always crave his touch, just his. Just Zane’s.

My hands swept his shoulders. His stroked up my back and then over my shoulders, shucking my sleeveless jacket to fall to the floor. I didn’t care. I was too interested in touching him. Skimming his sides, I slid my hands under the fabric of his shirt. Skin to skin… I needed it. Now. Sooner.

My hands slid over warm flesh and I sighed in pleasure, tilting my head for more of his kisses. He growled—full on fucking growled—in the back of his throat and wrapped me in the safe embrace of his arms.

Safe. For a creature like me, from whom the things that went bump in the night ran in fear, that was an unknown feeling. Somehow though he made me feel it.

His lips left mine, leaving a trail of fire over my jaw and neck as his hands slid up my back. With a smooth movement, he bent me backward so my neck and bust were exposed to him. As he nipped and nibbled his way down, my blood burned hotter with each touch of his lips.

When he reached the neckline of my leather corset, he stopped and frowned. Strong hands slid around to the heavy duty laces that held it together at the front. Lips still whispering kisses up the side of my throat, he sliced the laces one by one with his claws. His touch was sure and delicate as he worked his way up, the retractable claws of an older vampire barely kissing my skin.

I gasped as the leather parted, falling away, and the cooler air washed over me. I was exposed, both to the cool night air and to his gaze. There was a split second where I fought the need to hide myself or show off. I chose the second, pulling my shoulders back and letting him look his fill. My body wasn’t the slender willowiness most of my sisters had been blessed with. I had far too many curves for that, but I didn’t care. I had curves and I fucking rocked them.

His lips tightened as though he fought for control. But the fire in his eyes…. the depth of need contained within took my breath away. He reached out, sliding his hands around my body. His thumbs flicked over my nipples and I groaned, my eyelids fluttering closed.

“Fuck me, you’re beautiful.” He moved, one arm hard around the back of my waist and kissed slowly down my throat to my exposed breasts. Cupping one with his free hand, he bent his head and swept his tongue over the beaded nipple.

“Shit!” Wet heat engulfed me, pleasure shooting right from my nipple straight down to my aching clit. There was a sense of movement, the rushing of air around us, and suddenly I felt the cold brick of a wall against my back. Cold behind me, the heat of his body in front, I was caught between opposing sensations… but nothing compared to the feel of his mouth on me, the curl of his tongue around my nipple and then the sheer pleasure as he pulled the beaded peak into the warm cavern of his mouth.

I mewled in pleasure, a sound I’d never heard myself make before, and clung to him. My nails raked over his shoulder as I drove the fingers of the other hand through the short hair at the nape of his neck. Odin’s tits, I didn’t want him to stop.

He moved, sliding his hands down my arms to capture my wrists. Hauling them above my head, he pinned them there, using the weight of his bigger body to pin me against the wall. A thrill shot through me. Sure, I was powerful and way stronger than most beings…but I wasn’t sure exactly what he was… whether he was stronger than I was, and that added an element of danger that sent shivers down my spine.

“This is dangerous,” I managed to whisper, groaning as he kissed the side of my throat. And it was… a Valkyrie and a vampire? If my sisters knew, they’d slaughter both of us on the spot.

“Ssshhh.”

He nipped my ear lightly, making me gasp, and changed his grip on one of my wrists. Pulling it down, he pressed my palm against his chest and then slid it down his body. Over his heavily defined pecs, over the cobblestone abs and flat lower stomach, and beyond. Way beyond.

The thick bar of his cock pressed against the fabric of his pants, filling my smaller hand and then some. I cupped and stroked, testing his length and girth through the fabric.

Odin’s tits, he was big, way bigger than my previous lovers, and my body responded eagerly. My clit ached, my pussy clenching just at the thought of him sliding into me. Filling me. Taking me against the rough stone wall like there was no tomorrow.

Claiming my lips again, he groaned against them as I cupped his balls and squeezed lightly. My nails raked up his length, then I smoothed down it again.

“Carry on like that…” He didn’t finish the sentence, moaning as I gripped him firmer and squeezed. I don’t know about you, but for me, there is no sexier sound on Earth than a man I’ve made moan.

“You were saying?” I teased, sliding the other hand between us. He lifted his head, nostrils flaring a little as I made short work of his belt buckle. I kept my gaze on his face and dropped his zipper to free his cock.

It leapt, eager and thick, into my hand. Wrapping my fingers around the thick shaft, I stroked him from root to tip, adding a twist of my wrist that made his eyes widen. My thumb swept over the top, collecting the bead of pre-cum there, before I pumped him. He groaned, again, catching his lower lip between his teeth in a sexy as hell way. Turning us both suddenly, he leaned back against the wall, begging me in a rough voice, “Don’t stop. Fuck, don’t stop.”

I had no intention of stopping, leaning in to kiss up the side of his neck as I worked his cock in short, sharp strokes and then long, slow ones. I wanted his legs shaking and his body on fire for me. He caught his breath as my lips trailed higher, his grip on my hip bruising in its intensity. His hips rocked, shoving his cock into my grip over and over again. The shaft jerked, and I could feel the blood pulsing below the surface. I upped my game by flicking my thumb over the tip…

The next thing I knew I’d been spun around and pressed into the wall, the heat of his chest against my bare shoulder blades.

“Dangerous games, angel… now you pay the price,” he whispered roughly against my ear. Grabbing my hands, he placed them on the wall in front of me, pulling my hips back and spreading my feet with one of his.

“Stay still,” he ordered but I couldn’t help pushing my ass back against him, grinding against the rigid shaft of his erection. He faltered for a moment, swearing under his breath, and then swept his hands down the front of my body, cupping my tits before moving south.

He caressed the softer lines of my stomach. It was toned but still not to the extent I’d like. He found the buckle on my belt and, in a few short moves, had divested me of my weapons belt as well as gotten my pants open. I gasped as his hand slid within, dipping between my thighs to seek out my pussy lips. That gasp became a moan as his fingertips found and stroked through my folds, slipping in the wet heat already collected there.

With a grunt of approval, he gathered the wetness and stroked upward over my clit. I cried out and arched against him in a demand for more.

More he gave me, waging a ruthless campaign to drive me to the edge of madness. His clever fingers played with my clit while his other hand cupped and caressed my breasts. He tweaked my nipple, making me gasp as he slid two fingers deep inside my aching pussy.

“Oh god, yes!” I arched back against him, lifting my hands to clasp him around the neck as he fucked me with his fingers. Tension built in my body, focused in my core, and I rocked against him. Rode his hand. Fucked myself on his fingers. He had me like that… turned me into a sensual creature of pure response and need.

But it wasn’t enough. I gasped, trying to get more sensation, rocking harder, but I needed more. Way more.

“Ssshhh, I got you.” He seemed to know what I needed, sliding his hands from me and putting mine back on the wall in front. I shivered as he eased my pants down over my ample hips. I watched him over my shoulder—the good side of course—as I stepped out of them, leaving me clad in just high heeled boots.

His expression was tight and so fucking sexy. He knelt behind me, gaze focused as he slid his hands up the backs and sides of my legs. I felt his breath on one ass cheek a moment before he planted a kiss there, his hand moving from the other leg to slide up my inner thigh.

A shiver hit me as he stroked me again, easily finding my clit. My body trembled, held on a knife-edge of need and desire as he tortured me with sensual delight. My knees threatened to buckle, too weak with pleasure to hold me.

“Zane… please,” I begged. Pride had flown out the window. I just needed him.

“No problem, angel. I got you.” He rose to his feet behind me, fitting his larger body against mine. His palm smoothed over the curve of my ass lingeringly and then he moved. One hand in the small of my back, he pushed me forward, angling my hips up, and the next moment I felt the broad head of his cock pushing against me.

I tensed for a moment and then groaned as he pushed forward, sliding in. He was large, the penetration parting me wider than I’d ever felt before, but I didn’t care. I needed him inside me with a desperation I’d never felt.

He stopped, his forward motion foiled by the tightness of my body, and pulled back. Within a heartbeat, he pushed against me again, sliding a little deeper into my body. On the third thrust, something gave and he filled me in one hard, slick thrust that made us both groan.

We froze in an erotic tableau, his hands on my hips and his cock pulsing in my depths. He was big, my body protesting at the sensual invasion as he stretched me around him. It didn’t hurt though, just felt so good I wanted it to last forever.

He moved, just a fraction, and the spell broke. The tiny shift in position made his cock stroke nerve endings within my tight pussy and I moaned, my body rewarding him with a liquid rush of heat.

He pulled back and then thrust in, setting up a relentless pace. His body moved against and into mine, filling me with his thick, hard cock again and again. Each powerful thrust stroked nerves inside me I swore had never been touched by another man, and each withdrawal made me gasp with loss.

We fucked like bunnies against the wall. Our bodies strained against each other’s, the slap of skin against skin punctuated by gasps and groans. It was pure carnal pleasure and I fucking loved it. Loved his hand over my head pinning mine to the wall. Loved his bigger body corralling mine, keeping me in place as he took what he wanted. What we both wanted…

“Fuck, you’re good,” he groaned, free hand sliding around my hip to find my clit again.

My hips bucked at the added sensation as he stroked me hard and fast, matching the rhythm of his fingers to the thrusts of his hips. This was no teasing touch to torture me and keep me hovering on the edge of orgasm. Instead he demanded my body acquiesce and obey his commands. Ruthlessly he drove the tension higher until my pussy clenched around his cock, gripping him and milking him as I teetered on the edge of release.

Then he stopped. Thrust his cock hard into my pussy, until his balls slapped against me, and stopped. Fucking stopped.

“Wh… What the fuck?” I demanded as he kissed the side of my neck. Desperate to move, desperate for even a little sensation to shove me over the edge, I tried to push back against him. But he held me still with steely strength. “Zane, you’d better fucking move or I swear to Odin I’ll kick your ass to Valhalla and fucking back.”

He chuckled, the sound vibrating against the skin of my throat. “My fierce little Valkyrie…you don’t scare me, you know? Now shut up and enjoy this.”

I was about to go postal on his ass, sexual frustration fueling my anger, when he moved. Rolling his hips, his cock pressed within me in ways that made my eyes roll back in my head.

Then he struck, fangs piercing the muscle between my neck and shoulder, and I was lost. Utter ecstasy exploded through me, outward from my clit and pussy to flood every cell and synapse. I didn’t stand a chance. My body bucked with the onslaught, eager for every hard slam of his cock, each hard pull at my shoulder sending fresh waves of pleasure through me. But his movements were less smooth than before and with one last hard thrust, he buried himself deep inside me and let go of my shoulder to roar his release to the night sky.

I whimpered as he emptied his seed deep in my depths, further proof that he wasn’t all vampire. Ripples of pleasure kept my body captive, the only thing holding me in a standing position until, finally, my strength gave. I sagged against him, clinging to him to keep upright.

Kissing the side of my neck again, he slid from me and, with an easy movement, scooped me up in his arms and kissed my forehead. I shivered and looked at him.

“What the hell just happened?” My voice sounded raw, probably a result of all the screaming I’d been doing.

He smiled, the corners of his lips curling up in the tiniest little smirk. “A Vampire’s kiss. You’re mine now, little Valkyrie.”