If he’d had any doubts about the scope of her intentions, they disappeared as she moved toward the shower, her chin high and her nipples peaked.

What rose to the surface of his mind was simple. He had wanted her from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her and caught her delicate rosemary scent. He’d wanted her with a fervor that was even now beyond his comprehension.

He didn’t try to hide how aroused he was. But he was a big man so he supported all that purposeful weight as she stepped in beside him.

He gave her room so that she could dip beneath the spray. All her pretty curls had already given way to the difficulties of the night and now her makeup, too, drifted in the direction of the drain.

He moved away from her and took his time memorizing each curve, the shape of her breasts, the exact pinkish hue of her areola, that her belly button seemed to collect the water before allowing it to flow down her abdomen and into the crease of her tender flesh. Her skin was milky, her legs shapely and long. Even her feet were pretty and he had a sudden desire to kiss them.

If he was to have only one night with her, then he would make the most of it.

She emerged from the spray and turned. She shampooed her hair and rinsed. He watched the bubbles float over her shoulders and down her arms. He became fascinated with how her breasts moved and what they looked like when she lifted her arms to squeeze the water from her hair, to shake her locks with her fingers trying to get the soap out.

When she was satisfied, she reached for the crème rinse. She applied it to her hair and once it had reached the tips, she turned to him and smiled. “You’ll have to bend down a little. I’m not a short woman, but you’re damn tall.”

He smiled. My God, when was the last time he had smiled. His heart felt lighter. When had his heart ever felt lighter after a battle?

He had a sudden profound desire to find some place in the castle to keep her, to chain her up perhaps, so that whenever he needed to feel the weight of his responsibilities lift from his shoulders, he could go to her and she would make him smile.

He leaned over and she poured the crème rinse on his hair and worked it through every strand all the way to the ends as she had done her own hair.

He wanted to touch her, but she was all business. She rinsed her hair, then without a word, she left the shower. She dried off and wrapped her hair up, then simply padded from the bathroom, her bottom moving in the most exotic way as she disappeared from view.

Realizing he could no longer see her, that she had somehow escaped his touch, he felt panicky, afraid on some level that she would vanish. He almost stumbled from the shower and toweled off. He was still a bit damp in parts when he went into the bedroom.

He paused on the threshold. She was on the bed, the covers turned all the way back to the footboard, and still very naked. She was kneeling but sitting back on her heels. In front of her was a tray of fruit and cheese and two small glasses of white wine.

She had provided him an elegant feast. Did she understand what she was doing? What it meant to a man to have a woman feed him? Of course, she did own a bakery, so perhaps on a very intuitive level, she understood how critical it was to provide food to the community, even a realm community.

“Please, Gerrod, come and make yourself comfortable. If you don’t want to eat, you don’t have to, although there are other things besides these fruits and cheeses that might be equally palatable to you.”

He had lived a long time.

He had heard double entendres in every form imaginable.

Maybe it was because she was naked, or that she had brought him food to eat, but these words pleased him to no end, and once more brought him to attention.

Her gaze fell. He had to support himself as he walked. He thumbed the tip of his cock and watched her eyes widen.

“I would feed you as well, Abigail, if it would please you.”

Her nipples had become hard pebbles once more and a flush covered her cheeks. “I am very torn,” she said. “For these figs look wonderful. But on the other hand, I want nothing more than to be fed.” She unwound the towel from her damp curls and let it fall behind her.

“And so you shall be.” He crawled across the bed, careful not to disturb the tray. He drew up beside her on his knees.

She turned her shoulder into him and planted her hand on his thigh. She leaned just a little and parted her lips.

He tilted his pelvis and slipped his cock into her mouth. He fed her slowly, one inch at a time. She didn’t suck but held her tongue beneath him and moved in a little erotic ripple. He groaned. He pulled out then pushed in again slowly. He met her gaze as she looked up at him.

I feel your vibration, she said, tapping his telepathic frequency.

How does it feel?

Wonderful. It’s made my lips and tongue tingle.

Her mouth began to close around him and this time when he withdrew she suckled him. His back arched and he almost came.

He withdrew and took a series of strong breaths.

She didn’t move. He believed she understood his dilemma.

“Imagine,” she said at last.

He looked down at her. “Imagine what?”

“Imagine, I just had so much to eat, and yet I’m still hungry.”

He chuckled.

“Now, why don’t you stretch out on your side and let me feed you bits of fruit and cheese.”

He ended up curling his large body around hers. She took her time and placed a slice of strawberry on his tongue. Then a little jack cheese. Apple and cheddar. Figs and gorgonzola. She handed him his glass of wine.

He drank.

She ate as well and drank.

He touched her waist and slid his hand down to caress her bottom. She arched as though it gave her pleasure so he kept his hand low.

When moisture collected at the tips and threatened to drip down her back, he wiped at her hair.

She did the same for him.

He was surprised how hungry he was, even more so when the plate of food was finally gone.

He stared at the barren grape cluster. He had long-forgotten his wish to sit in his chair and drink whisky. This was better. He was feeling stronger.

He slipped off the bed, and took the tray to the stand near the door. He headed back but almost stumbled.

She was on her knees now, still on the bed, still very naked, and one hand rubbing between her thighs. Her gaze raked his body. So he moved slower, letting her look. He understood what the sight of his Guard body could do to a woman, the heavy muscles, his cock partially erect and growing.

Her gaze slipped over his pecs. Her lips parted. They were nearly ruby red as she licked them. Her gaze fell, dropping down his abs. She leaned forward slightly still fondling herself.

It appeared she was still hungry.

He rounded the bed and she knee-walked over to the side. Fortunately, the bed wasn’t too tall, which meant she didn’t have far to go. She planted her hands on his hips and lowered her head.

He was pretty sure that for any man, this was one of the most beautiful sights in the world, in any world, vampire, fae, troll, elven or human. Yes, any world.

She sucked him, licked him, swirled her tongue. He was upright now, hard as a rock. The food had been a good idea. He’d needed nourishment especially since his blood-starvation was reaching a critical point. He would need blood within twenty-four hours or he would become too weak to do anything, even to take blood. This could mean a quick slide toward death for any vampire.

For now, though, he was safe, but barely.

Her hands drifted down the sides of his legs, back up, around his buttocks. She squeezed. He groaned.

He couldn’t believe this was happening, a woman in his room after all these decades. But this was what he’d needed, food and sex, and she’d delivered for no other reason than that she’d perceived his need and appreciated what he did for his people.

She leaned back on her heels and looked up at him. “There’s something I want to tell you.”

“What’s that?” He stroked her cheek, thumbed the lips that had been suckling him.

“I’ve been seeing a doctor for the past year, since about the time I started coming to Merhaine.”

He frowned. “Are you ill?”

“Not exactly. I have a blood condition none of the Arizona specialists can figure out. But I’ve wondered if my coming to Merhaine has had something to do with it.”

His mouth quirked. “So, because you’ve been around vampires and other folk who need and enjoy the sharing of blood, you think your blood condition has something to do with that?”

“Maybe. But for the past year I’ve had what feels to me like lumpish blood.”

He chuckled. “What do you mean ‘lumpish’?”

“I suppose it’s a strange word choice. Maybe more like sluggish. And my heart would pound as well. Both sensations, however, made me wonder what was going on, so I got checked out and that’s when the doctor started taking my blood.”

“You mean to have it tested?”

She shook her head. “To drain me of excess. It would seem I create excess blood for a human.”

He jerked forward. He couldn’t have heard right. “You produce too much blood and your medical doctor drains you of it?”

She nodded. “Yes, at certain times, especially after I’ve been to Merhaine. And it really feels that way right now.” She took his hand and pressed it against the center of her chest between her breasts.

Her heart was pounding. He frowned. “I don’t understand. Exactly how much blood would he take at any given time?” He thought maybe an ounce or two.

She drew a deep breath and said, “A pint.”

He really couldn’t have heard right. His balls tingled and his cock got even a little harder. She swept her hair away from the side of her neck. He weaved on his feet.

“I’m thinking maybe you could relieve me of some of that blood now.”

A pint of blood, her lumpish blood, her pounding heart, his fucking blood-starvation.

Oh, damn all wraiths to hell, he needed this. “Are you sure?” His voice was hoarse like it had been shredded.

“Gerrod, is it normal for a specie different from vampires to create extra blood?”