A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark, #1)

by Kresley Cole

He met her eyes, giving her a look so primal it made her shiver. “Emma, I doona know what you’ve been doing in the past, but know that when I take a woman into my bed, I will never share her.”

Her bite on his arm, which she’d caught him peering down at with an almost affectionate expression, was rapidly healing.

“Release me from my vow, Emmaline.” She didn’t respond, wouldn’t release him, and damn it, it had begun to matter to him if he broke his word to her.

She put her hands on the headboard between his and held on as she ground against him, making his head fall back. The scent of her hair, the feel of her bite, and her own obvious pleasure were sending him over the edge. “You’re going tae make me come like this. If you doona stop . . .”

Just when he perceived she’d stopped drinking, she whispered in his ear, “I could drink you forever.” You will. . . . “Taste so good,” she said, moaning the last. “You drive me mad,” he grated, then threw his head back and yelled out as he came hotly under her movements, forced by the firm bucking of her hips against him.

“I ache, I want to pleasure you so much.”

“Tell me one thing.” When he faced her again, he did appear surprised she’d asked. His voice gravelly, he answered, “I think you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”

She narrowed her eyes, realizing what this was. Stockholm syndrome. Identifying with your bullying captor? Check. Forming an attachment to him? Check. But in all fairness to herself, how many captors—actively acquiring—were six-and-a-half-foot-tall gods with delicious, sun-darkened skin, the coolest accent, and the warmest, hardest body she’d ever dreamed of? All this and he liked to wrap that body around her? All this and he thought she was beautiful. Not to mention the fact that he couldn’t seem to give her enough of his luscious blood.

So close to losing her. . . . Now he knew he would do anything to keep her.

Blood for her—and now for Lachlain—was about life. Her wounds had begun healing immediately when she drank from him. He could sustain her. Which was the least he could do, since she’d finally made his life worth living.

“A-are you certain? Of her?” “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”

“I wish I could take the pain for you,” he grated. His own wounds were deep, yet he felt nothing. The idea of her suffering made his hands unsteady as he began rolling the bandage around her chest.

If she was part Valkyrie, and the rumors of their acquisitiveness were true, then perhaps she could be softened with gifts. Hadn’t she been intent on getting to her jewelry? He could give her a new piece every day for years.

Also inform them of what I will do if she is harmed in any way.”

Over the long years alone, he’d envisioned his female in a thousand different lights. He’d prayed she would be intelligent, attractive, caring. And now Emma, a half-vampire, half-Valkyrie, was shaming even his wildest fantasies.

“I’ve told you no’ to strike me. Know that the next time you try, I will retaliate.”

“One hit from you could kill me.” His voice grew rough. “Never hit you.” He leaned in and brushed her lips with his own. “Each time, I’ll take a kiss as my due.”

“I could never have conceived of a mate like her. Emma’s clever, with a mind so tricky and complicated, I know I’ll never figure her out. She’s far too beautiful and frustratingly secretive and no’ like any other woman I’ve ever met.” He took a swig from his glass, this time savoring it. “The more I understand her phrasings, the more I realize my mate is a droll lass.” His lips curled as he remembered some amusement. When he faced Bowe again, he said, “I had no’ expected her humor, but welcome it gladly.”

A deadly expression hardened Lachlain’s face, and his eyes turned sharply. “They’ve taught me much about torture.”

I’m staring now because if your eyes even flicker silver, I want you.”

Yet even as she felt like Frau Badass, she recalled her first thought when she’d suddenly hit the stone floor and found the female standing over her. Emma had wanted Lachlain. And knew he would always come to her rescue.

“You’d take my side over hers? When you’ve known me for so short a time?” He caught her gaze. “I will always take your side. Over anyone’s.”

“Lachlain,” she murmured, “I struck you.” He lifted her onto the counter and pressed himself between her legs. “So you did.” He leaned down until their lips were inches apart. “Aren’t you going to . . . retaliate?”

He growled low, then rasped against her lips, “I canna stand to see you hurt. I will no’ let you be hurt again.”

“You’re mine, Emma,” he grated between ragged breaths. “Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

“Do you understand me? Always.” Her brows drew together. “You have someone else.” “It’s you, Emma. It’s always been you.”

“In all the years that have passed, I have waited for the one woman who was meant to be mine alone. You are that woman.”

“You will realize soon enough that you were given to me above all others. You’ll understand that I’ve searched relentlessly for you in every age that I have lived.” His gravelly tone dropped lower. “And, Emma, I’ve lived and I have searched a verra long time.”

“You said ‘every age that I have lived.’ So how old are you? Six hundred? Seven hundred years?” “Does that matter?” She shook his hand free. “How—old?” “Roughly twelve hundred years.”

“You have no idea how ruthless I will be to keep you, Emma. I’d do that and more. I will do whatever it takes.”

you’ve spotted her.” “How do you know?” he asked without turning. “You leaned forward, and your heartbeat sped up.

“Sleep well?” he said, rumbling his words. “Did you sleep with me? Here?” “Aye.” “Why?” “Because you prefer sleeping here. And I prefer sleeping with you.”

He needed to learn that in the last seven days, she’d become a creature with which one did not fuck.

“Every night you’ve got me like a randy lad.”

Sweet gods, her bite. He gave an anguished groan, falling back on the bed, only to immediately raise his hand to cup her face and his head to watch her mouth on his cock. He was a twisted man. “I had . . . no idea. Always like this,” he growled. “Always.”

As he crashed after her, she felt the need for release. Not fear of what he would do to her when he caught her, but anticipation. She could hear his heart pounding furiously as he neared. Even when weakened, he ran headlong for her. He would chase her forever. She knew this as if he’d spoken it in her mind. He would claim her and never let her go. That was what his kind did.

“Dreamed of tasting you again,” he growled. “Almost as much as fucking you.”

“For me?” Always for you. All things for you.

“Would you run into his arms?” Nïx asked. Her aunts believed that a Valkyrie would know her true love when he opened his arms to her and she realized she would forever run to get within them. Emma had thought it a quaint legend, but her aunts swore by it.

Today she’d dreamed his memory of her padding to the shower one night. His eyes had been glued to the ribbon swaying down from the waist of her Strumpet & Pink thong. Swaying back and forth. He liked her elaborate lingerie, liked that he alone knew what was beneath her clothing. Back and forth went the ribbon. He growled so low she didn’t hear him. She has an arse men should write sonnets to. . . .

Did he even pretend to know why she needed hundreds of bottles of nail polish? No, but he liked that when he kissed her wee toes, he never knew what color they’d be.

When he watched her sleeping, he often thought, My heart lies vulnerable outside my chest.

I believe in times of adversity there’s a line that is drawn, a line that separates your old life from your new. You cross the line, you’ll never be the same.

“It’s not if you castrate an entire Roman legion, it’s if they believe you did. Perception is everything.”

am Emma.” Own it, own it. “The king killer.”

“Follow their fates if you follow their actions. I guard her ruthlessly.”

His voice was so strong, so like Lachlain’s when he said, “Because that’s my queen, and I’ll die for her.”

“I followed you. Emma, I’ll always come for you.”

“While you’ve been running around growling ‘mine,’ I’ve been silently saying it right back at you.”

“I’ll demand that ride tomorrow, love, but first you’re going to see wild from a man who knows.”