~ EXCERPT BELOW ~
In a gaslit London ruled by the vampire elite, Honoria's last hope is the most wicked man in London's underworld. Dark, dangerous and sexy, the Devil of Whitechapel offers her protection from a vicious duke in exchange for her blood rights—but will he also steal her heart as well?
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Blade stepped into the tub with Honoria in his arms and sank into the scented heat. He felt whole. Renewed. And nowhere near sated. He wanted to take her again, to rut over her like a bloody selfish bastard, when she had never done this before.
Honoria snuggled against his chest, the long strands of her hair floating on the water. She seemed relaxed, but the previous scene between them was only a vignette of memories in his mind as the hunger overruled him.
Had he hurt her? He’d given her pleasure, he knew that, but did she regret it?
“You shouldn’t ’ave come to me tonight,” he said gruffly.
She looked up. Water spiked her eyelashes together. “Why not? I should have come to you a long time ago.”
“You ain’t sore?”
At that she looked down as though mentally cataloging the feel of her own body. The neat little slash at her throat had closed over, but his eyes dropped to the mark and stayed there.
“Yes. And no.” She settled into his arms, her back cradled against his chest. “It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
“Aye.” Me too. Taking up the washcloth, he suddenly busied himself with the soap.
“You want to do it again, don’t you?” she whispered.
He almost dropped the soap. “Not tonight.”
“Liar.”
Christ, when had her voice turned to smoke? It liquefied his insides, his cock throbbing at the sound.
Fingers brushed against his thigh. “I don’t think I would mind.”
Blade kissed her shoulder. “Do you want me to touch you?”
He could do this, he thought. Give her pleasure without the taking of it. Slowly he dragged the cloth across her chest, over the swell of her breast. Honoria sucked in a gasp.
“Where do you want me to touch you?” he murmured, circling the rosy pucker of her nipple. “Here?”
Soap gleamed on her skin. He dragged the cloth lower, into the depths of the water.
“Or ’ere?” He dragged the cloth back up, rasping over the sweet flesh between her thighs.
Honoria stiffened, her breath coming in harsh little pants.
“There.” Blade smiled. “But I ain’t seen your lovely tits before.” He abandoned the washcloth and reached for the small vial of scented oil that sat on the bath rim. “You’re too impatient, luv. You don’t know ’ow good it can be.”
Easing the stopper out, he splashed oil over her breasts. Blade smeared it across her chest, his hands cupping the slight swell of her breasts. Just a handful. Just enough. A purr started in his throat. Her nipples were erect, practically begging for his mouth. He pinched them between his thumb and forefinger, the oil making them slip.
Honoria’s fingers dug into his thigh. “Sweet lord.”
One hand sank into the wet curls between her legs. He wanted to feel her. The oil staining his fingers made it easy to slip within her, nestled in the burning heat. A cry tore from her throat. She was hopelessly vocal, ungiven to any thoughts of disguising her pleasure.
Every gasp, every writhing wriggle was bliss to him. He brought her to the edge with his fingertips and took her over, listening to her scream. The darkness stirred its hungry head, but Blade forced his eyes shut and curled her up in his arms.
“Shush,” he whispered, pressing a kiss against the top of her head. The sound from her lips was halfway between a sob and a pant. She melted against him in a boneless heap, the silk of her skin driving him to distraction.
Honoria turned her body in the tub and straddled his hips. Leaning forward, she nibbled at his mouth. “I was wrong,” she admitted. “You’re a good man.”
Blade caught her wrists and smiled darkly. “Don’t cast all your prejudices aside,” he murmured. “I ain’t good.”
“You’re terribly wicked, of course.”
“Sometimes.” He drew her closer, then slid his hands down her body. His gaze followed, darkening. “And sometimes I’m just a bastard.” To be thinking of taking her again, so soon.
Honoria sucked in a breath and flexed her hips.
Blade stilled, his gaze meeting hers. “Easy, luv. Don’t stir the devil, or you’ll ’ave to pay the consequences.”
“I’m not sure I have any coin on me,” she said, leaning closer and kissing the stubbled roughness of his jaw. “Do you think he would accept my favors instead?”
Blade groaned. “Bloody ’ell, Honor. Don’t tease a man so.”
“But it’s so very exciting.”
His cock grazed her tender flesh. Desire swept through him like a flood of heat. Christ, she made him feel warm all the way through, as though his blood weren’t cold.
“Well, damn me, if you ain’t got a touch o’ the devil yourself,” he muttered.