Night Fall: Truly, Madly... Deadly Part 3

He lowered his head and sank his teeth into her neck again, anchoring her in place as his hips resumed their deep, upward thrusts.

Darcy mewled like a kitten, one hand gripping his hair, the other sc.r.a.ping his back with her nails.

Quentin pounded harder, driving her higher against the wall-faster and faster.

Then she was writhing in his arms-a wild thing, clawing his back to reach the summit. Her o.r.g.a.s.m slammed through her, stiffening her legs, arching her back. She cried out.

Quentin's answering howl reverberated on the tiled walls.

Still panting, Darcy lifted her gaze rose to meet Quentin's. As she watched, his face reformed, but his gaze was wary. "You can let me down now," she said.

His lips tightened, but he nodded.

Suddenly, the door to the bathroom slammed open and the shower curtain jerked back. Joe took in their compromising position with a single searing glance.

He raised a sharpened stake in his fist.

Chapter Three.

"No! Joe, don't do it," Darcy cried out, reaching beyond Quentin's back to stave off the blow.

"You G.o.dd.a.m.ned b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" Joe spat, his face and body taut with fury. "What did you do-use your vamp hypnotism?"

Quentin remained where he was-deep inside Darcy's still-pulsating channel. Despite the interruption, he wasn't ready to withdraw from the sweet flesh fisting his c.o.c.k.

Joe raised the stake higher. "Get off her!" he said, his jaw clenched.

"Unless you care to join us," Quentin said, his tone even, "I'd suggest-"

"We're finished." Darcy pushed against his shoulders.

Reluctantly, Quentin backed away from the wall and eased his c.o.c.k from inside her body. Her legs slid to the floor, but he was gratified when she clutched his waist to steady herself.

He turned to face his adversary, unconcerned that his c.o.c.k gleamed with their combined c.u.m.

Joe's face darkened. When his gaze swept over Darcy's naked body, his stance grew even more rigid. "b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"

Quentin realized Darcy's blood still trickled from the punctures in her neck. He held up both hands. "I'll close the wounds." Keeping an eye on the man holding the stake, Quentin drew Darcy close.

She flinched, but allowed him to lick her neck to seal the small punctures.

When Quentin lifted his head, he glared a challenge at Joe.

Joe's gaze darted to Darcy. "Go get some clothes on," he said curtly.

Darcy wrapped her arms around her waist and stepped toward Joe. "You can't hurt him."

Quentin hoped Joe didn't see her backside, or he'd be dust. His fingers had left bruises, which were quickly turning blue.

Joe's gaze bored into hers. "Were you willing?" he asked, his voice raw.

"Yes," she whispered.

He closed his eyes for a moment and lowered his stake. "How could you?"

Darcy's face was ashen, and a sheen of moisture glazed her eyes. "I don't know. I was curious, I guess."

Curious? Anger bristled through Quentin, but he held his tongue. She'd been a h.e.l.l of lot more than curious. Hotter than a b.i.t.c.h in heat was a more apt description.

Joe's gaze swept over her again, and a muscle tensed in his jaw. "f.u.c.k you, Darcy."

Darcy blanched and turned away her face.

Quentin's hands balled into fists as he resisted the urge to tear the man's head from his body. He recognized jealousy and desire when he saw them, and Joe was eaten up with bitterness borne of both emotions.

"Get dressed," Joe repeated.

Darcy left the room without a backward glance.

Quentin would have liked to follow her out to soothe the hurt he'd seen in her eyes. But Joe loomed over him, his chest rapidly rising and falling. Finally, his face twisted into a sneer, and he tossed the stake at Quentin's feet. "Stay away from her, or I swear I'll kill you." He turned on his heels and followed Darcy into the bedroom.

Quentin pulled the shower curtain closed and turned the water a notch hotter. Then he reached for the raspberry soap. When his lathered hands encircled his c.o.c.k, he murmured, "This will be more interesting than I thought."

"Darcy!"

Ignoring Joe's angry voice, Darcy shrugged into her robe and belted it tightly around her waist. When she felt his hand clamp onto her shoulder, she stiffened.

"Did...did he hurt you?" Joe asked, his voice softer now.

"No. I already said so." The word strangled in her throat. She was sore, and she wouldn't be at all surprised if her tender inner flesh was slightly torn. The vampire's c.o.c.k had almost been more than she could take.

"Dammit, Darcy, don't lie."

Darcy whirled, fighting tears and embarra.s.sment. "Joe, this is none of your business. I'm fine."

"Then why are you lying?" Joe's gaze pinned her.

Darcy fought to remain immobile and not give him a clue concerning her conflicting emotions.

He must have seen something anyway, because his lips twisted and he grabbed her arm. Pulling her behind him, he entered the living room, and then dragged her down the hallway to the guest bedroom.

When the door closed behind them, she shook off his hold. "I'm tired. I want to rest."

"After you've satisfied me," Joe said, his jaw set.

Darcy jerked. "What did you say?"

"Just take off that robe."

"I will not." Her body tensed. What is he doing? "Get out."

Joe's hard-eyed gaze narrowed.

Darcy felt a moment's uncertainty.

"I said, take it off." His voice was low and menacing.

Her gaze swept over his bare chest to the top of his jeans. The snap at the waist was undone, but she detected no bulge of s.e.xual arousal.

"Stubborn..." he said, stepping close. His hands landed on the collar of her robe, and he pushed the lapels wide. "Foolish..."

So shocked she could only stand there while he stripped the robe from her body, Darcy barely realized she was naked again until the cool, conditioned air hit her moist skin.

"Stunning..." Joe's hands hovered just above her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His brown-eyed gaze stared at her nipples, which were drawing into painful, rigid points.

It was the cool air, she told herself. Not the heat that flushed his cheeks, nor the muscle that clenched his jaw. She couldn't want him. Not after f.u.c.king the vampire.

Maybe that was the problem. Quentin had primed her for s.e.x. And Joe was a much better, safer choice. They'd been circling each other for months, dancing with desire.

One palm lowered to cover her breast, and she gasped. Already abraded from Quentin's play, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were sensitive, tuned to the powerful, sensual pull of Joe's rigid posture and the deep breaths that billowed his broad chest.

His gaze rose to her face. "I'm sorry, Da.r.s.e," he said, his voice raw. "I only meant to see if he'd harmed you." Still, he didn't move away.

Darcy didn't step back, either. Their chests met, and her head fell back. Their mouths were inches apart. When his arms closed around her, she whimpered and widened her legs to let him nestle between her thighs.

"I won't hurt you, I swear," he said, then his lips closed over hers.

Too lost in his kiss and the confusing maelstrom of her awakened desire, she didn't protest when he walked her backward to the bed. She locked her mouth to his and sat on the edge, allowing him to come over her and drag her to the soft center. His body blanketed her cooling skin, and she welcomed him, opening her thighs wide around his hips.

The kiss deepened. Knowing this was stupid didn't take away the raw edge of her desire. No doubt the vampire was responsible, otherwise how could she be this aroused so soon?

His tongue slid into her mouth.

Darcy reciprocated, murmuring unintelligible protests until his mouth lifted from hers. His expression was still angry, but the hurt lingered in the stark clarity of his gaze. "Tell me to stop."

His command echoed Quentin's-jarring and direct. But she knew she wouldn't ask him to stop. He was her partner, her best friend. And she wanted him every bit as much as she had the big, bad vamp. Clasping his face with her hands, she pulled him to her breast and cried out when his mouth closed around her sensitive nipple.

He shifted to the side and glided a hand over her belly and below. His strong fingers delved between her swollen flesh.

Darcy widened her legs and lifted her hips to take him deeper.

But, she flinched when a second finger joined the first. She was too sore to take him.

He withdrew.

Afraid he'd reject her after being reminded of why she was sore, she was surprised when his mouth continued to suckle her breast-softer now, his tongue sliding over the tip.

Darcy's hips lifted again, and Joe slid a jeans-covered thigh between hers, pressing into her soft core. The gentle abrasion was almost too much, but she rode his thigh. Needing him closer, Darcy smoothed her hands over his bare back, then beneath his waistband to cup his firm b.u.t.tocks.

Joe's a.s.s tensed. He murmured, and then pulled away. Without breaking her gaze, he stripped his pants down his long, lean thighs and kicked them to the floor.

Darcy's chest constricted. She'd seen him in the gym, wrestled him to the floor during workouts, but she hadn't any idea how beautiful his male flesh was-like warm, creamy cocoa. His c.o.c.k was a shade darker, springing high and tight from a nest of black curls.

"I won't come into you," he whispered, his brown eyes soft and caring. "You're too tender. But let me love you."

Seduced by his tone, Darcy let her legs fall apart, splayed wide for his hot gaze.

Joe's hands cupped her knees and glided along her inner thighs, pausing inches from her p.u.s.s.y. He leaned down and blew on her heated flesh. His fingertips rubbed briefly around her opening then halted. His expression grew dark. "You're bleeding."

"Not much," she answered quickly. "It's just...it's been a long time."

"He hurt you. Why did you lie for him?"

This was the one person in the world who deserved the truth from her. "Because I liked it."

"Why him?"

The growl in his voice made her look away. His disappointment burned a hole in her stomach. "I don't know. Watching him with that other woman..."

"If you were h.o.r.n.y, why didn't you turn to me?"

Cra.s.sly put, but honest. Darcy couldn't give him anything less. "I didn't know you wanted this. With me."

"Who's watched your back for three years?" His voice rose. "Who held you when you cried your eyes out after Manny left?"

"We're friends, Joe. It's what friends do. I thought that was all you wanted us to be." Darcy sighed deeply. "It isn't like you haven't had other women. You told me all about them."

"Maybe I wanted to see whether being with them bothered you."

"You were testing me?"

He raked a hand through his hair-evidence of his frustration. "If you'd given me any indication you cared..."

"I do."

"Not the way I want you to. h.e.l.l, you'd let me f.u.c.k you, now."

Past tense? "Aren't you going to?"