Dark Hunger

Caleb stirred.

Breath lodged in her throat, Elize retracted her hand and froze. She closed her eyes immediately, feeling utterly stupid of her actions. For a long moment nothing happened. The air around her was still. She opened one eye slowly and glanced at him. He was still sleeping. She loosed her breath and opened both her eyes. Her cheeks pinkened when once again she found herself staring at him, no, his chest.

His chest was tanned enough to suggest that the man had spent a lot of time outdoors and that too without a shirt. It was perfectly sculpted with muscles. A dusty line of black hair covered it that trailed into a thin line, narrowing at the navel, and disappearing inside the pants. He had a body of a model from a fashion magazine, and face too handsome to be locked and kept away. Her breath hitched at her wayward thoughts and she gulped as she found her finger in the curly hair right above his navel. How did that happen? Gods, the man's shaft swelled at her touch even when he was sleeping. She didn't know whether to feel happy about it or not. Heat coiled in her belly. She was tempted—

Comprehension. Awareness of her actions hit her. Elize quickly retracted her hand as she mentally smacked herself. How could she get entranced by this wolf so easily? Once again, Caleb stirred and she closed her eyes tightly hoping that he didn't notice what she did. Such a fool she was. She continued to stay like that, frozen, her hand in his clasp against his chest.

Her stomach grumbled loudly and she resisted pursing her lips.

Caleb was sleeping lightly, his mind a turbulence of emotions and thoughts and actions and most of all the closeness of his wife. He had tightly clasped her hand over his chest, fearing that she would run away. She was so pale and he really wanted her to drink from him. He had conjured all possible ways to make her sink her fangs in him. The mere thought made his blood race between his thighs. Somehow, he had controlled his thoughts and had just slept, when he sensed a light brush on his forehead.

By Skadi, did she just touch him? A delicate, soft finger brushed his hair away from his forehead. He stiffened even though, he wanted to open his eyes, gather her in his arms and kiss her senseless. However, when he sensed that she had taken her finger down to his neck and then on his chest, every thought muddled. Fuck! He did everything to not react, because if he opened his eyes at this time, she would withdraw. Hell no. She was willingly touching him after such a long time, and he wouldn't ruin the chance, so Caleb stayed motionless.

She took her finger down his chest and then lower, lower and stopped just above his navel. Caleb thought he would die of anticipation. He was so charged up, that his shaft swelled, painfully. He shifted in his place just a little to adjust it and immediately she retracted her hand.

'Fuck you, Caleb,' he berated himself and once again compelled himself to stay still so that she continued exploring him. He waited for a long moment, but she didn't move. He was about to open his eyes, when he sensed her finger on the hair of the navel. Shit. He knew he would explode in his pants if she as much as curled the tip of her finger there. His act would be exposed. So, he shifted in his place and as expected she removed her hand instantly. He was half expecting her to laugh at him, but disbelief stole his breath away when he opened his eyes to see her.

Elize had tightly shut her eyes. The scent of her arousal hit him hard. His lips curved up in a smile seeing her lying so still trying to pretend. He had heard how her stomach grumbled, so the wolf upped his seduction games. He sliced the skin on his neck. Blood oozed out in drops. He leaned over her, pressed into her, to reach out the bedside table on her side to pick up something, pushing his neck close to her lips.

The scent of his blood. It was so near, just inches away from her mouth. Her lips parted and she licked them, trying not to succumb to the temptation. She opened her eyes with a jerk and rasped, "Oh, gods, can you please move?" She started panting. "Your neck is bruised!"

"Oh, is it then?" he said flatly, and then rubbed his neck with his thumb, which got smeared with his blood. He gave a side glance at her to see her reaction and found that she was staring at his pulse point. He stayed there for her to lick it, but the girl turned her head. Caleb sighed and moved away. "I want you to wear this, Elize," he said. He had picked up a blue velvet box from the bedside table. Unclasping it, he took out a bracelet, which had a thick bright ruby stone, the size of a pence, held firmly with gold chains.

"No, thanks!" she snapped. How could he even think of gifting her?

"It is not something I requested, Elize," he said, his voice dropping dangerously low. He took her left wrist and then fastened the bracelet on it, sealing it with a spell so that she could never take it out.

"What the hell, Caleb?" she retorted, but the wolf had already leapt out of the bed and gone to the bathroom.

---

Laurel was murmuring curses under her breath as she walked out of her room to find blood for Her Royal Vampire Highness. She reached the lobby and then rounded it to go out, when her eyes fell on the left side where it read, The Old Monk. A drink would definitely help her. She walked straight inside and found a group of men and women congregating near the bar. She went to sit at the far corner and ordered a large whiskey. Since she couldn't help overhearing the conversation, she heard one of the men speaking, "There's a strange rumor going on.. A vampire on the prowl."