STORY EXCERPT

Turning on his heel, Nicholas crossed the room in several strides and halted in front of the mysterious woman, forcing her to stop. “Nicholas Greystone, Lord Wetherington, at your service.” He bowed, introducing himself quickly before she could get away. “And you are?”

She giggled childishly, covering her mouth with her hand. “The empress’s lady-in-waiting,” she said, her delicious smile spreading across her dewy-soft lips.

He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, the cloth of her gloves cool against his flesh. In that instant, he saw flashes of her life, from birth until the present, giving him a deep look into her personality. Even though this woman played a child to the court, her mind was as strong and intelligent as anyone else’s. The little minx held a lot of secrets, a certain treasure trove he would not mind finding.

“May I have your name, my lady, so that I might know whom I am addressing?” He did not offer the knowledge that he already had her name, for this was the surest way of getting her to lower her guard.

“Ta…Tatiana Gregorovich,” she said softly, her clear, dusky eyes shining. Clearly, she had been untouched, much like the first snow of winter. “You speak our language so well, my lord. Did you receive your education in my country?”

Nicholas laughed slightly. Her ruse amused him greatly. “I have been schooled on many continents,” he offered, “and your country is the most fascinating I have found.”

Her cheeks took on another shade of rose, much deeper than before. “Much thanks, my Lord Wetherington.”

“Please, address me as Nicholas,” he stated, the familiar stirrings of lust rising. “My title is much too stuffy for a man of my age to use. It reminds me of my father.” If only Tatiana knew the truth. He had lived during the time of Cleopatra, last Pharaoh of Egypt. He had even shared her bed between Caesar and Antony.

She quickly cleared her throat. From the tilt of her head, he noticed the delicate swan-like curve of her shoulder, a plane he could see his lips pressed against. Sweet virgin blood soared through those veins, the best of all. He looked lower to the gentle rise and fall of her breasts. His fangs itched to descend.

“Nicholas, then,” she murmured, her gaze trailing toward her mistress. “Please, if you will pardon me.”

Nicholas grabbed her silk-clad arm and prevented her flight. This woman intrigued him too much to let her go anywhere. “Where are you fleeing to?”

“I am not fleeing, my lord. ’Tis just that the empress requires that I be by her side at all times.”

He cast a quick glance at the empress. She sat engaged with a large crowd, every need tended to by the throng. “Your mistress appears to be in good hands at the moment. Would you perhaps join me for a walk in the gardens?”

ADULT EXCERPT

“See how beautiful your pussy is.” She noted the glistening flesh and swollen folds as well as the pearl-like button at the top. “Touch yourself.”

“No,” she said in a low tone.

“You can.”

She had always done that sort of thing in private and never in front of anyone, much less Nicholas.

“As your master, I command you to do so.”

Unable to resist, Tatiana reached down and touched her clitoris. Nicholas covered her hand with his own and showed her what to do. She found it erotically appetizing to watch herself in the mirror like this.

Nicholas’s tanned hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs running over her nipples as she caressed and teased herself. Short gasps of ecstasy escaped her mouth with each stroke.

“That’s it, my dear, for this will be the last night you will enjoy yourself as a virgin. Tonight, I will collect what is mine.”

A tremor started in the pit of her belly, slow and steady. Suddenly an orgasm burst through her body. Shaking, she cried out as a warmth of liquid shot out of her and down her legs.

Nicholas kissed her neck and dropped his hands.

“I will begin your lessons now.”

He bent and picked her naked body up into his arms and strode over to the bed. Someone had taken great care to make sure the covers had been turned down. Several rose petals lay scattered on the sheet.

Nicholas lay her down gently. “I wish there could be a bit more play, but unfortunately, I need to have you soon or else I will burst, which would ruin my plans for tonight.” His hand caressed the side of her face. “It will be necessary to hurt you, but I can assure you that it is only this one time. I would rather cut off my right arm than do this, but I must. Forgive me.”

“I already have.”

Nicholas divested himself of clothing as quickly as he could, then stood next to the bed. Before he could get in, Tatiana stopped him. A raw sexual power filled her and she wanted to take advantage of it and surprise him for a change.

She wrapped her hand around his thick cock. His eyebrow rose.

“What are you doing?”

“Something I have only heard about from the servants,” she said with a smile. “I am not very good at it, but I think it will please you.”

She scooted from the bed, pushing him back slightly. Sinking to her knees, she took him into her mouth. Her mouth stretched to accommodate his girth and she sank down, taking every inch of him in. She had been told by the servants to clasp his sac at the root and let them go the moment his climax neared. Would he like this?

Tatiana cupped Nicholas’s sac and massaged it gently, stroking the skin, drawn tight with need. She kissed and caressed him, making sure to keep a firm grip on his cock with her right hand.

Nicholas murmured with each kiss, his hands twining with her hair.

“You are so beautiful, Tatiana,” he moaned. “You do not know how much pleasure you bring to me.”

“I can tell,” she whispered against him, planting tiny kisses along his hard rod. Suddenly, he pushed her away. “What is wrong, Nicholas?”

“I do not want to waste myself like this,” he drew her to her feet and picked her up in his arms. “I can think of a better way.”

Gently he laid her down on the bed. He stood silently and stared for a moment, his body highlighted by the golden light of the fire. Sculpted muscles, almost as if they were made out of stone, glared at her. His wide shoulders, tapered down to a narrow, but strong waist. A dark triangle of dark curly hair rested in the apex of his legs, from which his member sprang. Strong legs, seemingly almost of solid iron, filled out the rest of his body. Dark eyes stared at her from beneath the black mask.

“I want to make love to you, Tatiana. Is that what you desire as well?”

“Da, I desire you as much as you desire me.” She held her arms invitingly out to him. “Come to me.”

Without further encouragement, he lay down on top of her, his lips tasting the flesh of her neck again.

“Tonight your body belongs to me.”

She said nothing as she gave herself up to the wanton abandonment produced by his hands. Swiftly, he searched out her apex, parting her lips yet again, his fingers diving in and bringing her pleasure beyond her wildest imaginations. Her hips arched, begging for more of him.

Nicholas withdrew and looked at her, his eyes glittering behind the ebony mask.

“Are you ready for me?”

“I have been waiting for you all my life, Nicholas,” she whispered, drawing his face close to hers.

“No pain,” he assured her in a deep, breathy whisper, then tasted her lips again, his hands intertwining with hers.

Tatiana had never felt so safe with any man before in her life, not even her father.

Taking her silence as an invitation, Nicholas urged her legs to wrap around his waist, his member nudging at her privates, begging for entry. With as much gentleness as he could summon, Nicholas entered her body. Delicate tissues parted as he tore through her maidenhead. He waited for a moment for cries of pain but she only emitted a gasp as he took her virginity. Good. His glamour worked.

He pulled out and entered her but instead of a gasp, she moaned. Her hips rose as if silently begging for more. This had been all the impetus he needed.

Nicholas’s strokes became swifter, more urgent, as they brought her higher and higher. He had never felt this urgent or hungry with a woman, not even his beloved Cleopatra. What made her so different from his first true love?

He pistoned in and out of her with all the fury of a man finding his first meal in weeks.

Suddenly, his fangs descended as his orgasm approached and he had to taste her blood.