“Kicked you out?” he echoed, certain he’d misheard. Vampalien children were highly prized and very precious to their society as a whole. It was one of the reasons the home world was so overcrowded. Children could voluntarily leave the nest once they reached their majority but were never forced to do so. It was inconceivable.
She glanced at him, sighed, and reluctantly explained. “After the first firestorm didn’t take and I refused to go through another one, she gave me money and told me to relocate somewhere far away. Jorlan came with me. Actually, he’s the one that picked this location. Now that I think on it, he probably chose it because of the large number of vampyr here. At the time I was in no condition to question his motives. Jorlan’s always pushed me to accept both sides of my heritage,” she said wryly.
It was the closest Reyna had come to acknowledging she had vampyr blood. Though he could see nothing of Alvaro in her features, she’d taken his blood and read his emotions as easily as any other bonded female of his species. He hadn’t heard of any other Vampalien/Felini pairings. However, Alvaro had stated his Heart’s Blood was dead. That he’d seen her body with his own eyes. Tariq wanted to ask more questions about her parentage but sensed she’d shut down if he did.
He was casting about for another topic of conversation when memory struck. “Yesterday, an anonymous male called and left a message for me. It said the one I sought could be found at Illuminator Incorporated.”
Eyes narrowed, she muttered the word ‘Traitor’ under her breath.
“You work for Illuminator Inc.?” he asked to keep her talking, even though the Kiss of Life was short-circuiting his brain cells and all he wanted to do was tumble his blood mate again.
“Yes.”
But Tariq heard what she hadn’t said. “You own it!”
He’d correctly guessed it was a Felini holding. No wonder the firewalls had been so strong. Tariq laughed. Wait until he told Thor. He’d be hounding Reyna for all their technological secrets.
“Stop doing that!” she snapped irritably.
“You’ll get used to it,” he said, still laughing. Then a thought struck him. “You said your pride kicked you out when you were nineteen.” Enrique said the company had come on scene about eight years ago. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-nine. Why?”
A veritable babe compared to his many years, he noted. “You came here when you left your pride and started the company?”
“Jorlan and I did,” she acknowledged.
His Heart’s Blood was a prize indeed. Intelligent and bold, she hadn’t let her circumstances stop her. She’d taken her talent and business savvy and made something of herself without the backing of her pride. “You’ve done well for yourself.”
“Not everyone believes so,” she said, mouth pursed with distaste.
Tariq’s gaze fixed on her pouty mouth and he realized with some shock that he’d yet to kiss her. “I haven’t tasted your mouth yet,” he blurted.
She blinked owlishly at him, her confusion at his abrupt change of subject obviously.
Suddenly it was imperative he not go another moment without knowing the feel of her lips against his. “Kiss me.”
“I don’t…I’ve never…” She began to retreat, scooting backwards until she was in danger of falling off the bed.
Tariq caught her by the hips and tugged her back to his side. “You’ve never what?”
“Kissed.”
Stunned, he asked, “Anyone?”
She shook her head no.
“What about the firestorm?” he asked, still disbelieving.
“There’s no mouth-on-mouth contact and afterwards, I was sexually cold. Until you, that is,” she added ironically.
“Mi corazon,” he breathed, astounded at the depth of her innocence. He’d known she was a virgin when he’d taken her, but virginity didn’t always mean untouched in this day and age. Of course, if what he’d seen of her memories was true, it was no wonder she’d become frigid. To her, arousal meant pain and dissatisfaction.
Head tilted quizzically to the side, she scrunched her eyebrows and asked, “What does that mean?”
“My heart,” he said simply, still mulling over how sexually pure his Heart’s Blood was and how much fun he was going to have initiating her into all the pleasures of intimacy. “Come here.”
She glanced at their positions. “I am here.”
“No, come here,” he said, patting his lap. “Straddle me.”
Mouth rounded in a silent ‘O’, Reyna knee-walked forward and lifted one leg over his until she was seated on his thighs. She laid a tentative hand on his chest. “Now what?”
Placing his hands on Reyna’s waist, he tried to ignore his cock which was so close to her opening he could feel its damp warmth. Tariq could smell, even sense her budding arousal. His body was primed and ready for her. Some of it was the mating venom still coursing through his veins but mostly it was having his Heart’s Blood in his arms. “I’m yours. Kiss me. Touch me. Do whatever you want to do with me. I’m here for your pleasure.”
Eyes wide, she stared down at the part of him straining to connect with her. “Anything?”
Very seriously he said, “You’re in control.”
After her experience with the firestorm, being in control of their sexual activity would be very important to her. He needed to teach her sex was not something he did to her, but with her.
Reyna possessed a very passionate nature. The proof was in the bloody bite and claw marks she’d left all over his body. He needed to tap into it; ignite her fierce arousal. She needed to feel safe with him and know he’d never leave her in an agony of unfulfilled sexual desire.
He ran his hands up her sides in a smoothing manner from her waist to under her breasts and back again. “Do whatever feels good.”
Troubled brown eyes gazed back at him. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Heart melting, Tariq cupped her cheek. “Do you plan to arouse me to the breaking point and leave me unsatisfied?”
“No. I’d never deliberate inflict that kind of suffering on anyone.”
Such a solemn response, he thought, as he spread his arms wide. “Then, Mi corazon, my body awaits your pleasure.”
Sensual curiosity replaced the haunted expression in Reyna’s eyes. She leaned forward, moving so slow he discovered he was holding his breath in anticipation of that first meeting of mouths. Then her lips lightly brushed his. Once, twice, three times before she withdrew a scant centimeter.
Tariq groaned, resisting the urge to lunge forward and take control. “Mi corazon, you’re trying to kill me. Give me your tongue. I want to taste you.”
A small puzzled frown furred her brow. “My tongue?”
No mouth-on-mouth contact, he remembered. Of course she didn’t know how to French kiss. “Slide your tongue inside my mouth,” he patiently explained. “Taste me.”
She closed the minute distance between them, her mouth parted, and the damp tip of her tongue flicked against his lips. He opened for her and waited to see what she’d do. Reyna’s nails pricked his chest as she lapped at him like the kitten she was. He taunted her, touching their tongues together briefly before retreating deeper into his mouth. Reyna’s gave chase and once he had her where he wanted her, he suckled her member, tangling their tongues together.
She moaned and Tariq gripped her hips, fingers flexing as he settled her sex closer to his. Reyna undulated, rubbing the slick folds of her labia on the hard rod sandwiched between them. His patience disappeared. With a muffled groan, he wrapped a hand in her hair and pulled, angling her head so he could kiss Reyna the way his desire demanded.
Reyna melted into him as he speared his tongue into her mouth. She tasted good. Sweet and sexy with a bite of spice, just like her personality, he thought. He foresaw a lot of kissing in their future. Forgetting he’d intended for Reyna to be in control, Tariq rolled her over onto her back while covering her in one seamless move.
He had a knee pushed between her thighs and was spreading her wide for penetration when she broke the kiss, turning her head to the side. “Wait!”
Undeterred, he nuzzled her neck.
“Tariq! You said it’s my turn to be in control. I want to be on top,” she laughingly complained, pushing against his chest.
“I forgot,” he admitted and dropped his forehead to hers, breathing heavy. A promise is a promise, he thought ruefully, and holding her close, flipped their positions. Reyna’s hair fell forward in a heavy curtain, enclosing them so all he could see was her. She grinned at him, eyes sparkling with silent mirth.
Surprised but pleased at this glimpse of her playful side, he was caught totally unprepared when she said, “You forgot? Maybe I should tie you up. Then you’d be completely at my mercy.”