Undead Have Bunnies, Too Read online

  Those few words must have taken me years to say, or so it seemed to me. At this point, my blood was boiling in my veins, my dick already just as hard as it had been before, or maybe even harder. My nipples tightened into sensitive peaks, and when Vlad flicked a thumb over one of them, tiny explosions of pleasure rocketed through me. My channel clenched around empty air, practically begging to be filled. If Vlad didn’t do something soon, I’d surely lose my mind.

  Thankfully, my mate took mercy on me, on us both. He flipped me on all fours and wordlessly guided me to remain in that position. I did my best to obey, even if I wasn’t sure my arms would hold me. Perhaps my eagerness to please him helped, because I didn’t fall on my face like I had feared I would. Of course, being forced to look away from Vlad’s handsome face might have had something to do with it, because it filled me with a whole new breed of frustration. Vlad’s hands kneaded my ass cheeks, and I pushed back against his touch. His palms were cool, but that was all right, because that chill was also a part of him, an evidence of his undead nature. It was also a little startling, because it meant he needed to feed. I might have actually felt a little concerned, except by now, I understood that, as his mate, this was my task. I had certainly enjoyed it when he’d bitten my shaft, and I was certain that with him, everything else would be just as pleasurable. Hadn’t he said I was his prey? Well, I had absolutely no complaints in that regard.

  “I think that I know exactly what punishment you deserve,” Vlad said as he parted my ass cheeks.

  And then, my mate’s tongue licked over my crease, and my mind simply melted. I groaned, clenching my fists around the blades of grass. I would have never thought I would enjoy something like this, but I did. Miraculously, the fact that Vlad had forbidden me to come just added to the cocktail of maddening sensations. My sense of self dissolved with Vlad’s will, and it was so utterly beautiful and freeing that I couldn’t have described it even if I’d been able to speak.

  As it was, I could only lay there and withstand his sensual assault. He stabbed his slick muscle into my anus, and the taboo touch awoke nerve endings I hadn’t even known existed. Each and every part of me, from the tips of my hair to my toenails, was alight with bliss. It felt so good, better than I’d ever imagined something could possibly feel. And yet…it was not enough.

  Vlad’s caresses, as maddeningly pleasurable as they were, simply teased me with the promise of what I truly wanted, and he knew it, damn him. He knew how much I needed him, and he was exploiting that knowledge perfectly. He stabbed his tongue in and out of me over and over, using it like a little cock to stretch me. I pushed back against him, trying to fuck his face. For a while, he allowed it, but then, his hands tightened around my hips, holding me in place. I released a soft whine, trembling with arousal and need, clawing at the ground, biting my own lips because I couldn’t bite him. I tasted blood in my mouth, and I heard a low growl come from Vlad. I could only guess the coppery scent excited him, and that guess was confirmed when Vlad lifted his head, abandoning his previous ministrations on my sex-starved body.

  Before I could even attempt to protest, he said, “I have to take you now, my sweet. I can’t wait any longer.”

  I might have pointed out that I’d long ago gotten over any possible need to wait, except I was so immensely overcome by what he was doing that a part of me wondered if I could actually handle it. But that brief thought dissipated like it had never been when I felt something thick nudge against my opening. Goddess, yes, I would finally get what I’d wanted for so long.

  For all his words, Vlad didn’t rush. When he pushed inside me, he did so slowly, almost excruciatingly so. I actually felt the head of his dick pop in, past the circle of guardian muscle, breaching my virgin body. It was an unfamiliar sensation. I’d touched myself there, but it had never been like this, so amazing. But even though this was my first time with my mate—or with anyone for that matter—it seemed so right, like coming home without even knowing I’d been away. He went slowly, perhaps in an attempt to allow me to get accustomed to the sensations. The end result was, however, that I experienced each and every second of his invasion to the fullest. And when he was finally balls-deep inside me, I felt so full of him, in every possible sense. I couldn’t even remember my own name anymore, just that I belonged to him.

  He stilled inside me, his hands still clenched around my hips, holding me in place. I guessed that this was also for my benefit, since, with his girth, he could have easily hurt me if he hadn’t been careful. In fact, if I’d been able to think clearly, I would have accepted that and admitted that his entrance did burn a little. But for me, that slight pain just made everything better, more real. I wanted him to move, to pound me like there was no tomorrow. My instincts flared inside me wilder than ever before, and if I could have, I would have started fucking myself on his prick mindless of any harm that came to me.

  But Vlad would have none of that, so I did my best to breathe through it, to relax my body. I tried to remind myself that this wasn’t only about my own needs, but Vlad’s as well. And it might have actually worked, except he snarled in my ear, his voice so low it seemed to come from the bowels of the earth. “Mmm, that’s it,” he said. “You’re so tight around me, Vesper. You’re squeezing me so perfectly. Give yourself to me, just like that.”

  The words washed over me like a wave of sensation, the possessiveness and need in his tone a palpable caress that made me keen in distressed pleasure. For some reason, it also made me tighten my ass around his dick. That finally snapped the control that had kept his desire for me in check.

  With a snarl, Vlad pulled out of me and thrust back inside, so hard I’d have been propelled forward on the grass if not for his hold on me. In the process, he struck a spot inside me that made stars burst in my vision. My reality blurred around the edges, and I tried to get a better grip on the grass, to somehow use it as leverage and push back against him. For once, Vlad allowed me a measure of freedom, no longer trying to keep me from impaling myself on his cock.

  We fell into a perfect rhythm, a dance as old as time that bonded us in the most intimate way that could ever exist between two people. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled my ears, combining with my keening cries and his grunts to create a symphony of pure carnality. Every time he thrust inside me, he struck my special spot, driving me higher and higher on the peak of pleasure.

  I didn’t know how long it lasted. It could have been an eternity, or merely a few moments. Time became meaningless, as did the limitations between us. He drove his dick deeper and deeper inside me, until I had no notion of where he ended and I began. I was so close to coming I could almost taste it, feel it burning in my testes, sizzling all over my skin. I craved it, oh, how I craved it, but I still couldn’t go over the edge. His touch enthralled me. His kisses drugged me. But the way he was fucking me had me his willing slave, and until he allowed me my climax, I could not orgasm, not for a second time.

  Thankfully, I had been blessed with a mate who desired me as much as I desired him. He growled in my ear, and for some reason, the sound echoed deeply within me, resonating with my instincts and a subconscious understanding. Without really knowing why, I tilted my head, offering myself to him.

  As Vlad thrust inside me one last time, he embedded his fangs in my flesh. Pain and pleasure exploded over me, more powerful than ever before. I had known that our mating would involve him feeding on me, especially after what he’d done earlier, but I had still not expected to feel like this. Every motion of his mouth as he sucked my blood seemed directly connected to my dick. He didn’t speak, but nevertheless, I felt this bite as the permission I had been waiting for. With a choked cry, I came once again.

  My mind shut down under the onslaught of sensation of emotion, and I was propelled in a world where only the two of us existed. His emotions flashed through me, combining with my own, until I could no longer distinguish the difference between them. His orgasm swept over me in an unexpected echo of mine. I might hav
e actually felt frightened at the intensity of it, but my mate was right there by my side. And when I felt the connection between us click into place, his mental voice drifted into my mind. “Vesper.”

  He said nothing else, but it wasn’t necessary. His heart was mine, and the other way around. Our souls were entwined, and in that single word he had said, I heard worshipful love, desire, and nearly heart-wrenching relief. There was also a dash of guilt, which I hastened to soothe through my own love for him.

  It was that love that guided us to a feeling of deep contentment that surpassed even the physical pleasure I’d been thrust into. It went so far that I could almost feel the taste of my own blood in my mouth, and I experienced Vlad’s ecstasy at sampling its flavor. I truly would have liked for it to last forever, but all too soon, Vlad released his hold on my neck and retreated from my body.

  I would have actually felt a little bereft, but our bond was in place, protecting me. When we collapsed together on the grass, Vlad held me close, protectiveness and affection written in every line of his body. We lay there, panting in each other’s embrace. I had known that sex would be explosive between the two of us, but it had been more than that. It had been making love, a culmination of all the time we’d spent together up until this point. Even if my heat still bubbled under the surface, right now I felt so sated—physically and emotionally—that I never wanted to move.

  Vlad patted my hair, gently, almost in awe. “I don’t know how someone like you can love someone like me,” he said quietly, “but I’ll do my best to deserve it.”

  I slapped his chest weakly. “You know it’s not like that.”

  He and I had long ago surpassed the notion of deserving each other. We simply fit together, body and soul, and the buildup of our relationship only solidified my belief in it. Even if we’d first coupled today, we’d shared many intimate moments throughout these past weeks. We’d laughed, talked, and cuddled. We had learned each other’s likes and dislikes, our good points and bad points. Our mental bond came as a natural progression of how much we had grown as a couple. And because we’d shared all that, I also knew that his body still felt too cool to the touch. Vlad had truly pulled back too soon, clinging onto the bite only for as long as it took for it to bind us.

  “You didn’t feed enough,” I told him with a frown, this time out loud. He had drunk some of my blood during our bonding, but it hadn’t been sufficient to give him sustenance.

  Vlad released me from his embrace and opened his mouth, obviously intending to reply. However, before he could do so, he tensed and looked away, past my shoulder. I would have been hurt, except I also felt the reason for his change in demeanor.

  When I turned and followed Vlad’s gaze, I couldn’t help but gape. A large dark-haired man approached, scanning us both with shrewd eyes. He was, for lack of a better description, really fat. The color of his skin—pale like marble—suggested a possible vampiric nature, but I hadn’t known fat vampires existed. Granted, I wasn’t acquainted with too many members of Vlad’s species, but for some reason, his appearance struck me as odd. It certainly didn’t help that, in spite of his size, he made absolutely no noise while moving around.

  “Well, well,” the new arrival said. “If it isn’t Count Vlad. When I heard that you’d returned, I almost couldn’t believe my ears. I just had to come see for myself.”

  “Pygmalion? Is that you?”

  The man, Pygmalion, chortled slightly. “It’s been a while, Vlad.”

  Frowning, Vlad got up and positioned himself in front of me, shielding me from sight. The other man just laughed. “I see your life’s been interesting after you left Necro Valley.”

  “It has,” Vlad confirmed without giving him any further explanations. “Whatever happened to Galatea?”

  Pygmalion just sighed heavily. “Oh, you deliver low blows, Vlad. Fortunately, I’ve had the time to grow accustomed to her betrayal. But never mind me. Won’t you introduce me to your lovely and perceptive companion?”

  Perceptive? He was probably referring to my comment about Vlad not having fed enough. Still, I didn’t like his tone. It seemed accusing. Even if I had expected some reluctance from Vlad’s people, I refused to allow anyone to insult our mating, or my loyalty toward Vlad. I also wouldn’t cower behind my mate. I might not be as strong as Vlad, but that didn’t mean I was a scaredy-rabbit.

  “No one thinks that,” Vlad whispered through our bond. “But my kind is dangerous. Just stay behind me, all right?”

  Vlad’s protectiveness just made Pygmalion more interested in my person. “Come now,” he said. “Don’t be shy. I won’t harm you. We’re all friends here.”

  My mate released a heavy sigh. “Pygmalion, let’s not play games. Why did you return here? Did my father send you?”

  The other man—who I now knew was the necromancer Vlad had been talking about earlier—grinned ferally. “Don’t underestimate me. I can always tell when someone bypasses my wards. You would know that if you hadn’t left. But that’s really beside the point, don’t you agree? Who is this outsider?”

  The poison in his voice was undeniable now, and I refused to back down. I stepped in front of Vlad and straightened my back. “I’m Vlad’s mate. I’d love to say it’s a pleasure, but I’ve never been a good liar.”

  The vampire’s beady eyes seemed lost in his fat face as he chortled. “Oh-hooo…He has guts. I see why he caught your eye, Vlad.” His eyes scanned me from head to toe, and I became distinctly aware that I was still naked, with Vlad’s cooling spunk dribbling down my leg. It didn’t embarrass me, but I did grasp the fact that Vlad didn’t want anyone seeing me like that. I would have shifted, except I suspected that might possibly worsen the situation.

  As if guessing my thoughts, Pygmalion arched a brow and added, “Don’t worry, little shifter. I can tell what you are. I can hear it in your heartbeat and smell it in your blood.”

  Finally, Vlad snapped. Much to my surprise, he crossed the distance between himself and the other man and cuffed Pygmalion across the head. “Would you stop it already? I know you like to imitate Father, but that whole ominous ‘I can read your mind’ thing gets old quickly. Grow up already.”

  Pygmalion’s almost cruel expression melted into a pout. “Why do you have to be so mean, cousin?”

  I blinked in surprise. Wait…Cousin? This guy and Vlad were nothing alike, not to mention that Vlad’s attitude toward him hadn’t been exactly friendly. Then again, my mate had warned me before that the members of his family might not be welcoming. Still, given that Pygmalion was Vlad’s blood, I had to tone down on the hostility.

  “He’s just very protective of me,” I explained. “Perhaps we should start this over?”

  Pygmalion gave me an assessing look and nodded. “My name is Pygmalion Dracula,” he said.

  “I’m Vesper,” I replied. “I’ve heard a lot about your people. I know that we are very different, but I hope that you will welcome me here as Vlad’s mate.”

  “Oh, it’s not me you have to worry about,” Pygmalion replied dismissively. “For my part, Vlad can mate a swamp squid. I don’t particularly care.”

  “Speaking of caring,” Vlad interrupted him, “what in the name of the Goddess happened to you? You’re all…bloated.”

  I glared at my tactless mate. “Vlad, that’s rude,” I snapped at him through our bond.

  “It’s also true,” Vlad replied. “I have to know if he’s sick. He doesn’t smell diseased, but it’s my responsibility to ask.”

  The other vampire’s face flamed. In fact, he blushed so brightly that he no longer looked like a vampire at all. “Don’t judge me!” he cried. “You wouldn’t understand. Comfort food…helps.”

  “Comfort food,” my mate repeated. “Oh…You’ve been eating.”

  I had known vampires could eat, but Vlad and his sisters very rarely did so. “We don’t digest regular food well,” Vlad explained through our connection. “We need to get our sustenance directly from blood. If we have normal m
eals, most of it will transform into fat and won’t really help us.”

  As Vlad spoke to me, Pygmalion’s shoulders slumped, as if he was ashamed. I kind of felt bad for him. I could understand the urge to nibble on something when in moments of emotional turmoil. Of course, I’d been lucky in that I hadn’t suffered from Vlad’s abandonment, but before I’d met him, I’d had my own periods of depression. If not for Dini and Larue—and all right, the fact that I sucked at hunting—I would have grown pretty fat indeed.

  “It’s okay,” I told Pygmalion. “There’s nothing wrong with a little extra weight.”

  Pygmalion’s eyes widened at my words. “Do you really think that?”

  I had a feeling that I had to tread lightly. “Really,” I answered nevertheless. “As long as it doesn’t make you unhealthy, of course.”

  “Oh, I’m perfectly all right,” Pygmalion said. Moving far too quickly for a man his size, he suddenly attached himself to my side and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Your mate is charming, Vlad. Won’t you share him?”

  Before I could even utter one word of protest, Vlad snatched me from his cousin’s arms. “I don’t think so. Don’t touch him if you want to keep your arms and your fangs.”

  “Okay,” Pygmalion answered, not sounding put out in the slightest, “but you really must take him to see your father. He strongly insisted on it.”

  “I think not,” Vlad grumbled. “We’re busy.”

  “Stop being a child,” a somewhat familiar voice said from behind us. This time, when I turned around, I was unsurprised to see yet another vampire, one who looked very much like my mate. “Your mother missed you, and I’ll be damned if I’ll withstand her nagging because of your stubbornness. You’ve been away for the coven for so long. Why did you even come here if not to visit us? Besides, I want an explanation as to why you mated a rabbit.”

  Distantly, I wondered how they could tell what I was so easily, but I supposed that they might be able to scent it in my blood. Still, it was a little hard to be afraid of this guy—Vlad’s father if I had to guess—when he himself had admitted he dreaded the reaction of his wife to a possible rejection from Vlad’s part. It reminded me a little of the dynamics in my own warren. Females of my species were actually very aggressive, so I could empathize with this man’s difficulties. Besides, if Vlad’s mother was anything like his sisters…well, I actually didn’t look forward to meeting her at all.