STORY EXCERPT

He already knew that she was a good person, even before investigating her. His sister wouldn’t be so loyal to someone who wasn’t worthy. Their relationship spoke well of Allie Fisher. After reading everything he could gather on her, he could no longer deny Allie’s kind heart.

He hadn’t met too many people who had given up as much as Allie. She had graduated from college in the top five percent of her class. She had worked hard for her degree in psychology, but gave it up after one phone call. She had then moved away from everyone she knew, to care for her dying mother. She became her mother’s full-time caregiver, but still managed to find the time to write her novels. From what he had established, the sales of those books were their only source of income. She had taken on the role of nurse, cook, cleaner, and bread winner, all so she could ensure her mother could see her days out in her own home.

Now, from what he could gather, since losing her mother, she had changed very little in her life. She still wrote and visited the soup kitchen that her mother used to volunteer at. The only addition, from what he had seen, was her nightly radio show. A show which she was currently absent from. Again his hand reached for his phone. Only this time, he gave into temptation and rang Margo.

“Margo, what’s going on?” he asked his sister as soon as she answered the phone.

“Parker, I’m a bit busy right now. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Don’t you dare hang up on me, Margo Marie Winston. Tell me what’s is going on with Allie,” Parker demanded before softening his approach. “Is it her stalker? I need to know.”

“What’s it to you, Parker?”

“Damn it, Margo. She’s my mate!”

“Yes, she is. A mate, I might add, that you refuse to claim,” Margo said with nothing but disgust in her voice. “She’s become a good friend to me, Parker. A friend you seem content in using for your pleasure with no consideration for her.”

Parker wanted nothing more than to deny his sister’s accusations, because he had come to realise that Allie deserved better. But he couldn’t. He wasn’t even sure he would be able to stop taking his pleasure from Allie either. She had become his own personal drug. A drug he had already become addicted to. He was pulled from his musings when he heard an unfamiliar male voice coming over the phone.

“Miss Winston, will you be staying with Miss Fisher?”

“Yes,” Margo replied.

“Good. Then I need you to keep her temperature down as best you can. If it gets any higher, call me straight away,” the man said. “Now, I’ve rung through a prescription for antibiotics. The pharmacy should be delivering them within the hour. Please make sure she finishes all the tablets, and ensure you keep her fluids up.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

Parker had his answer. Allie was sick. He waited patiently for Margo to come back on the phone. He could hear rustling through the earpiece, followed by a door closing. He had assumed once the doctor had been seen out, he would hear the full story. He was wrong.

“Margo?” his call had been met with silence. “Margo, damn it. Tell me what the hell’s going on!”

“There’s not much to tell, Parker,” Margo said, finally acknowledging his presence on the other end of the phone. “Allie’s sick!”

“That much I gathered. What the hell is wrong with her?” he demanded.

“She’s got a bad case of the flu. Nothing for you to worry about.” He heard Margo’s attempt at sarcasm, but the worry in her voice seemed to override it.

“I’ll be right over!” he said, already gathering his keys.

“Don’t bother, Parker. If she needs healing, I’ll give her some of my blood,” Margo said.

“Don’t you dare! I will heal her,” Parker shouted. “That’s my mate.”

“Bullshit!” Margo spat down the phone. “If she really was that to you, then you wouldn’t be able to treat her the way you have. Do us all a favour and stay away from her.”

“I can’t,” Parker admitted. The fight was suddenly absent from his voice.

“And she can’t survive much more of what you have been dishing out. You take a little more of her soul every time you take what you want from her and then turn your back on her.”

“Are you forgetting she turned her back on me last time?” he challenged weakly.

“Oh, big brother, I haven’t forgotten. I was picking up the pieces all night!” Margo’s words resonated with him long after she had hung up on him.

Parker finally slumped back in his chair, conceding he was going nowhere. After everything he had learnt about Allie, he should have known her rejection was all an act. He had already seen how much of a giver she was, just by her actions. She gave to her mother, her readers, and the homeless, all of whom he was sure would have appreciated everything she has done for them. Then he came along and just took from her for his own pleasure, using her like a whore, rather than his mate. For the first time in a very long time, he felt shame. His mistreatment of Allie would stop now. He would wait for her to come to him, rather than go to her and take from her. Three days later, he was having trouble remaining so honourable. Especially when he had heard through his sources that Allie was back on her feet and currently helping out at the soup kitchen. He had no problem with her working there. What he did have trouble with was who she was working alongside. Sebastien.

ADULT EXCERPT

She watched as his elegant long fingers began separating the keys. Her fear all but forgotten as her mind, along with her hormones had her imagining all the wonderful things he could do with his hands. And all of them were to her naked body. Her pussy began weeping, soaking her underwear. Parker visibly inhaled deeply before growling.

He handed her back her keys and said, “Open the door before I take you out here in the hallway.”

Her hands began to tremble, not from the threat, but the blatant promise his words held. She no sooner had the door open, than he was pushing her through it. As soon as they had both crossed the threshold, Parker had kicked the door shut, and had her body pinned to the wall just inside the door. His impressive bulge pressed into her back.

“I need you. Please say ‘yes,’” he whispered in her ear.

Without any forethought, she answered with the one reply that would provide them both with a little relief. “Yes!”

Before she could consider the implications of her response, Parker had her turned around. Her back hit the wall with such force that it pushed all the air from her lungs. Her raging hormones overrode any of her panic. Without any of the usual hesitation that went along with a first kiss, Parker’s mouth came down on hers, hard. Her hands found their way up to his hair. She held on to it as he continued his assault on her lips. His tongue pushed through her slightly parted lips, seeking a dance partner. Hers quickly obliged. As she took her first taste of the man who had haunted her every thought, she felt his extended fangs. Swiping her tongue over them, she heard him groan.

“Bedroom?” Parker asked breathlessly when he pulled back from the kiss.

Lifting her arm, she directed her finger down the hallway that led to all the bedrooms. Pointing was the only means of communication she currently had. All her senses were going haywire. Never before had she ever experienced anything like it. Parker must have realised that a pointed finger was all he was going to get. So he followed her muted directions, rushing them both down the hallway. He stopped outside the only two closed doors. Lifting his nose to the air, he smelt. Without a word, he opened the one belonging to her bedroom.

He pushed her toward the bed, only stopping when her legs hit the wooden frame. She whimpered when he stepped back. She immediately noticed the loss of his body heat. He held a finger up in front of her. That was all the warning she got before the sharp, vampire talon ran down her chest, slicing her clothing. Her tight T-shirt and sports bra slid down her arms and fell from her body.

Parker’s slow perusal left goose bumps in its wake. His eyes darkened further with lust when they fell upon her breasts. His large hands came up to cup them, squeezing them. More juices escaped her already overflowing pussy. She could now smell her own arousal. It seemed to add to her excitement. Parker wasn’t immune to its effects either.

His hands left her breasts and moved down her body. Their destination, her hips, still clad in yoga pants. With a smile, Parker ran his taloned finger over her lower body. She trembled as his path became obvious to her. Widening her stance, she allowed him access to her most private of areas. She wasn’t disappointed.

The sharp talon gave her nothing but exquisite pleasure. Its feathered touch traced her pussy, eliciting a moan from her. The sweet torture had her clit demanding the same treatment. Before she could verbalise the request, Parker had removed his finger and shredded her pants.

“Get on the bed, now!” he ordered, as he removed his own clothing.

Allie quickly scrambled onto her bed, desperate not to lose sight of Parker for too long. She wanted to drink in everything there was to this man, including the amazing body she knew he hid below his well-tailored shirts and pants. When she had settled, she turned to appreciate the view. His toned abs and sculpted chest were magnificent. But it was his cock that drew her eyes.

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, in a scary kind of way. It stood thick and long, pointing proudly toward his stomach. The purple shade of the mushroom head, had just become her favourite colour. Licking her lips, she had the sudden urge to take a cock into her mouth for the first time in her life. The groan that came from Parker had her eyes reluctantly leaving the magnificent sight and moving up toward his face. There, she noticed his pained expression.

“Last chance to back out,” he said through clenched teeth.

“I need you, Parker. Please!”

“Are you on the pill?”

“Yes.”

“Good” was all he said before he pounced.

He landed over her, pinning her to the bed. He nudged her legs apart and began rubbing his cock against her greedy pussy. She tried to lift her hips, desperate to guide his cock to where she needed it. But his body held her captive under him. It would seem that he had plans of his own. Thankfully, those plans seemed to coincide with hers.

He thrust into her with such force, her head ended up at a strange angle. She found herself facing the headboard of the bed. Not that she was complaining. Everything felt like it had righted itself in her life as soon as he entered her.