Devin

I’m still reeling from the mind-blowing orgasm Willow gave me with her luscious mouth. I tried to hold it together, to keep myself from coming, but she looked up at me like I was her fucking world and licked me like a damn lollipop. I’m only a man, vampire or not. Now, she’s sitting there, grinning at me as though she’s got a secret.

Gently pushing her backward on the mattress, I crawl over her, kissing her forehead, her eyelids, the ridges of both cheekbones, everywhere but her lips. She’s sighing, following my face with hers as I avoid the one place I know she wants me. I brush my tongue along the shell of her ear and whisper, “You are the most erotic woman I’ve ever known, Angel. Let me make you come.”

She arches her back, offering her breasts to me. “Yes, please.”

Her hands drift down her belly, to the top of her pants, but I stop her. “No. I want to do that.”

My palms slide over her tits, down her stomach, and with one smooth motion, I remove her leggings and panties and toss them behind me. She’s bare, her creamy skin glowing faintly in the dim light of the room. Parting her thighs with my shoulders, I kiss the spot just above her neatly trimmed pussy. I can smell how much she wants me, and my cock hardens even though I’ve just spent myself only minutes earlier.

Gliding my fingers through her folds, I groan as I find her slick, hot, and needy. She’s swollen and so fucking ready. Placing one hand on each of her toned thighs, I fit my shoulders between them and nip at the protruding bone of her hip. Her knees are shaking, and when I look up to find her eyes on me, hooded and dark with desire, I know I can’t tease her any longer. I part her with my fingers and touch my tongue to the rise of her needy little clit. Her hips buck and twist, as though she thinks she needs to get away from me.

“No escape. I’m going to make you scream.” Before she can answer, my tongue is on her, and I press two fingers deep inside her.

A strangled moan rips from her throat, and her tight heat clenches around my fingers. I’m desperate to sink my cock into her and fuck her so hard she sees stars and my name is the only thing she knows. Sucking the sensitive bundle of nerves into my mouth as I pump my fingers in and out, I start humming my approval as she becomes wetter and surprised gasps fill the air. She’s closing in on her pleasure, her knees shaking and feet sliding along the bed.

I pull back, forcing myself to take my mouth off her. I promised her I’d take her to the edge, and that’s what I intend to do.

“Why? Oh, Devin. I was so close.” Her frustrated whine is exactly what I wanted to hear.

I trail one finger over her, barely touching the sensitive flesh as I watch her face. Her eyes roll back, and a sigh falls from her lips. Then, her fingers are in my hair, and she’s shoving my face back down with a growl. Raising her hips, she grips my hair so tight it hurts, and I can’t help but groan at the force behind her need. I can’t deny her any longer, not with the taste of her in my mouth and the soft pleas she’s making. I don’t think she even realizes she’s begging. My cock strains, and I want desperately to be inside her. Tightening the focus of my tongue on her pussy, I concentrate solely on her swollen clit. A sharp cry echoes off the walls, which turns to a groan as I sink two fingers deep into her body. She’s squirming, her hands fisting in my hair, and then, with a fucking sexy as hell cry of my name, she’s coming on my tongue, on my fingers, and my dick throbs against the bed.

I continue licking and sucking even after her orgasm has crested, because, damn, she tastes so fucking good. Her hands in my hair tug as she pulls my head up toward her.

“Stop. Oh God, please stop. It’s too much.”

I can’t help the smirk turning up the corner of my mouth. Sariel pushes, begging me to feed. “I need inside you, Willow. Are you ready?”

She shakes her head, rolling over and opening her side table drawer, producing a gold foil package. She hands the packet to me with a stern look furrowing her brow. “You’re not getting me pregnant with some crazy vampire baby. I learned a lot about Watchers after meeting Sariel. There’s no way that”—she gestures at my raging erection—“is coming near my pussy unless it’s got a raincoat covering it.”

Cocking an eyebrow, I let out a low chuckle. “You’re on birth control.”

“No deal. You’re lucky I’m not making you double bag it. I’m not the mothering type.”

Sariel roars in my consciousness. I can’t feed like that.

He’s going to have to deal with it. If she doesn’t want to risk it, I’m not going to force the issue. We’d already been careless the first time. The last thing I want is to saddle her with a child I won’t even be around to take care of. I turn the condom over, assessing.

“What?” She sits up and slides a hand up my leg.

Embarrassment floods me. “I … um … I’ve never used one of these.”

Her jaw drops, and at first I think she’s going to laugh at me. A slight burn of hurt runs through me, but I don’t think she truly realizes how long it’s been since I’ve been in a position to need anything like this.

“But … you’ve had sex before me. You’re too good at it to have been a virgin.”

I am good at it—fucking amazing if her moans and screams are any indication. “Of course I’ve had sex. I just … I haven’t had an orgasm in over two hundred years. Condoms weren’t readily available when I was human.”

“Wait. You haven’t orgasmed in two centuries?”

Shaking my head, I stare hard at the pattern stitched into her quilt. “Not until you.”

“You’re not serious?”

Without understanding why, I reach out and press my palm over her heart. “There’s so much more here. You’re meant for me. I don’t know when I realized it, but it’s true. The pull between us—you feel it just as much as I do.”

This could go either way. She could laugh in my face, reject me, and run for the hills, or she could admit the truth. When she rises onto her knees and cups my cheek in her small hand, I know she chose the latter. She’s mine.

“I do. I feel it. I hate that I want you so much, but I can’t deny it either.”

My shoulders release all the tension they’d been holding. “I don’t want to let you go, but I can’t always control Sariel. He needs to feed, and I don’t know if it’s safe for you.”

“How is his feeding different from yours?”

“You said you did your research. How do you think it happens?”

She blushes, the rush of blood to her cheeks making my own hunger come to life. My fangs threaten to descend, but I force back the urge. No use pissing her off and reminding her exactly what I am.

“Sex? But how does that work?”

“Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much—” As soon as the words leave my lips, I wish I could take them back. She takes in a sharp breath, pulling her bottom lip in between her teeth and staring at me.

“Has he fed from me before?”

I thank God for her not so subtle detour. Our conversation had been on a course for serious admissions that I know we aren’t ready for. “He has. Once. But, when it’s spaced out, there’s no risk to you.”

“Except for pregnancy?”

“Right. There is that.”

She lets out a nervous giggle. “I can’t be pregnant. I mean, it was just the once.”

“It’s doubtful.”

“Right.”

The room is tense, and all the heated passion between us has fizzled as she looks down at the condom in her hands. “Devin?”

I move off the bed, heading to my crumpled pants on the floor. Without a word, I grab my phone and turn on some music. “Lie down, relax. That’s enough talking for tonight, Angel.”

She doesn’t fight it. Instead, she curls up on her side and lets me slide in next to her. Her juniper scent fills the air around us, and I breathe it in, committing it all to memory as I pull her body in close. Slowly, her breathing becomes deep and even as I stroke her hair and just … watch. I count the constellation of freckles on her arm, connecting the dots and creating the Pleiades with my finger. She sleeps, snuggling back against me and humming softly, a happy little noise that sends a pulse of adoration through me. Holding her tight, I kiss her hair and close my eyes as I fight a wave of dread.

I can’t let anything happen to her.

Not Sariel.

Not me.

* * *

Sariel

Devin is in love. Though he hasn’t realized it yet. Damn it all. I watch from my prison inside his head as he worships at Willow’s altar, stroking her long, flowing hair, kissing her, and most of all, cherishing her. No. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I know what I need to do. Find him during a weak moment and use all my strength to overpower him. I’ve taken over once already, and that was before I’d fed. I’m stronger now, just biding my time until Devin’s guard is down. As he continues to focus solely on the woman in his arms, I realize that this is the time.

His eyes are heavy, the comfort of being with Willow making him feel the desire for sleep—however unnecessary. I use a small pulse of my energy to suggest he rest, that he fall into a sort of twilight slumber. As his grip on control weakens, I coil all my power, ready to spring as soon as he’s gone.

“I don’t want this to end, Devin.” Willow’s voice is clear as day when I take control. Her body has lost that boneless weight of sleep.

Fuck.

Devin is locked away, probably still unaware I took control at all. Tensing, I scramble to figure out what to say. In the end, I know I can’t let him have her. Selah is out there. Granted, she’s with another man, but I’ll remedy that as soon as I get the chance.

“I have to go.” I put on my best Southern drawl and slide out of her bed, making a mad dash for Devin’s clothes.

“Are you serious?” Hurt colors her voice, and I wish it didn’t have to be this way. But she’s not for me. This is so different from Galen and Reese’s situation. Then, I’d thought Reese was mine. I’d tried to keep her for myself. Willow is not mine by any stretch of the imagination. She’s Devin’s soul mate, and I’m the selfish bastard who’s going to keep them apart.

“This was … fun. Thanks. I’ll see you around, Willow.”

I can’t look back at her. As much as I want to feel nothing for this woman, I live in Devin’s body. His heart is crying out for her, and I know I’m breaking her to pieces.

“Devin, don’t you fucking walk out that door right now.”

My gut clenches, but I stiffen my shoulders, remaining silent, and reach for the knob.

“You are such an asshole. Fine. Go. But, I promise you, the next time you see me, you’ll have a stake sticking out of your goddamn chest.”

As I pull open the door to her room, I feel the air shift beside my head as something flies at me. A shoe hits the doorframe with a hard crack. Once I’m free of her bedroom, I blur out the front door and into the night. I can’t be near her and risk discovery. If she figures out that I’m not Devin, she’ll forgive him. I can’t take that chance.

I have to find my Selah and prove myself to her.