“No, I—”

“You’re right. You may sleep after you tell me who hit you,” he interrupted before she could make a demand of her own.

“You did.” Warm breath trekked over his chest, tickling his skin.

“What?” he shouted. “Me?”

“Accident. No worries. And I didn’t mean to cuddle up to you. I’m sorry.”

She was sorry? “Jane. I am sorry.” Shame beat at him more stubbornly than any opponent ever had. “Name a punishment and I will render it against myself immediately.”

“No punishment necessary, you silly man. I told you, it was an accident.”

Even in this, she forgave him so easily. Her worth far surpassed his. “I will never hurt you again, you have my word.”

“You were out of it. You couldn’t help yourself. I’m just glad you’re finally awake. I’ve been so worried.”

She was going to roll away from him, he thought, feeling her muscles bunch, preparing for movement. He tightened his hold on her. “No. I put you here.” And here you will stay.

“Oh,” she said, and he couldn’t decide if she was pleased or upset. “Are you, uh, thirsty? For blood, I mean.”

Yes. “No.” She was in no condition to feed him. But even the idea of tasting her had his fangs extending, moisture filling his mouth.

“Okay. Well, you might be wondering about the number of times I bathed you, but I promise you I never touched you more than necessary. Okay, maybe I did, but not by much. And I cut up the hem of my gown to use as rags, so that you wouldn’t have to endure skin-to-skin contact while you were out.”

Endure? The thought of her delicate little hands on his body caused his testicles to draw up tight and his erection to throb, close to exploding. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“My pleas— I mean, you’re welcome. So how are you feeling?”

“Better.” Now that she was relaxing against him. “You?”

“My legs hurt.”

Her legs, not her back. It was the first complaint she had ever uttered, yet she’d cast no blame his way. Determination consumed him, suddenly and completely, blending with a sense of urgency. “Hurt, from the walk?”

“From an old injury.”

“Tell me.”

“Car accident.” She paused. “A car is a vehicle used for traveling along roads at high speeds. Anyway, two of them smashed together. I was inside one. My family, too. I survived. They didn’t.”

He could not imagine what she described, but could identify with her pain. “I will make you better.” He eased her to the ground and sat up.

“You can’t. Only time can. I only just started walking again a few months ago.”

“You could not walk?” When he turned and moved between her legs, a hot blush flooded her cheeks and she quickly covered her breasts and stomach. She also kept her gaze on the large emerald-and-white leaves forming a barrier between them and the sky.

“Not for almost a year. So, hey, did I tell you that I washed my gown and that’s why I’m practically naked like this? The material wasn’t dry, and I didn’t want to wake you up if I accidentally rubbed against you and the gown was cold and wet. But I probably should have risked it,” she babbled. “My scars, I know how ugly they are and as perfect as you are, you’re probably used to perfect women, too. I mean, not that you had a choice with Laila, and not that she’s perfect. But before her you probably—”

“Jane.”

She licked her lips. “Yes?”

“Let’s tackle this one issue at a time. You think I’m upset by your nakedness?”

“Well, yes. After what Laila did, I—”

“You are not Laila.” And every part of him knew it.

“I know that, but you are a victim of sexual abuse and I…I just don’t want to push the boundaries and upset you.” Upset him? Him? “I’ve told you how much I crave you, Jane.”

“Well, you needed me to save you. You might have been buttering my toast, so to speak.” When he looked at her blankly, she added, “You know, softening me up so I’d do what you wanted.”

Indeed, that had been the plan. From the first moment he’d spied her, however, everything had changed. He’d operated only on instinct. “You are also too smart for your own good and convince yourself of the silliest notions.”

Her eyes narrowed, just not enough to hide the fire inside them. “Anything else you want to complain about, you lazy vampire?”

His lips twitched. Even angry, the woman wasn’t concerned with his new position. Her knees were poised at his hips, his erection lifting his loincloth and nearly brushing what was definitely the sweetest spot in this world or the other. Despite her insecurities, she trusted him completely.

She was uncomfortable about her nudity for reasons that had nothing to do with him, and that he couldn’t allow. “You know I’ve…climaxed recently,” he said.

“Well, now I do,” she replied cautiously.

“The last time was the morning of your arrival. Mere hours before, in fact. And not once, but twice. Yet, look at my cock, Jane.”

A slight gurgle was her only response.

“Look at my cock,” he repeated.

This time, she obeyed. Slowly, slowly, her gaze lowered. She gasped when she spotted the angle of his loincloth.

“If I did not want you, I would not be hard.”

“I know.” A heated sigh.

“Any time you doubt your appeal, just look here.” He fisted his length and moved his hand up and down, up and down, hissing in a breath at the painful but very necessary pressure. “You’ll remember how exquisite I find you. So much so you are in constant danger of being devoured.”

“But my scars…”

“Your scars simply prove how strong and capable you are. They prove you survived a terrible accident. They are lovely.”

“Really?” she squeaked, her cheeks brightening another degree.

“Really. And just so you know, there are no boundaries with us.”

“There aren’t?”

He stopped his assault on himself before he spilled. “No.”

“But…but…there are always boundaries.”

Oh, really. “Is there something you don’t want me to do to you? Some place on your body you don’t want me to touch?” He was tense as he awaited her response. He could have misjudged. He could be wrong about her feelings.

She gulped. “No.”

He relaxed. “It is the same for me. Therefore, no boundaries.”

“Okay, I believe you. But I—I don’t think we’ve explored all the ramifications of this.”

“This.” A sexual relationship? “I think you think and reason too much. We will mate. One day. Not today, but soon.”

Another sigh, her entire body sagging into the ground. “I know that, too. I’m too attracted to you not to give in.”

He loved such an open, honest admission. “Good. Now. Have I covered everything that worried you?”

“Well.” She chewed at her lip until a tiny bead of blood formed. “I’ve been thinking.”

“I have already mentioned that you do that far too much.” Before he realized what he was doing, he reached out, collected the blood with the tip of his finger and licked it away. Her flavor, as sweet as her scent, fizzed and crackled over his taste buds, and he moaned. Dark Abyss, nothing had ever tasted that good. The need for more grew…grew…until he was sweating, panting, fighting for control.

He would not fall on her. He would not.

He had known she would delight him in this way, but he had not expected this.

“I could return home at any second,” she said, unaware of the change in him. “I mean, you’re free now and isn’t that the reason you summoned me? So it stands to reason that the magic that brought me here will soon begin to fade, whether you want it to or not.”

“No,” he practically roared, his hunger forgotten in the face of his sudden terror of losing her.

Her eyes widened. “No?”

“I will not allow it.” Not now, not ever.

Ever? Yes, he would keep her forever. Would never let her go.

“Just like that?” She snapped her fingers. “You won’t allow it, so it won’t happen?”

Sweat beaded on his brow as he sat back on his thighs. “I am not safe yet. Therefore, you have not fulfilled all of your duties.” He would remain in perpetual danger, if need be. He’d lost so many loved ones already. He could not bear…the pain. The damned pain, wiping his thoughts. “That subject is now closed.”

“Fine,” she grumbled. “Are you always this grouchy in the semimorning?”

Only when you talk of leaving me. “Would a grouchy vampire tell you that you are the most beautiful female he’s ever met?” he asked, determined to soothe them both.

A luscious softening of her eyes, her mouth. “No.”

“Then I am not grouchy. Now close your eyes and relax.” If that ocher gaze met his, he would forget his purpose, lean down, kiss the breath right out of her, then work his way to her vein. And if his teeth sank inside her, his cock would expect equal measure. “I’m going to ease your hurts.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FEMALE he’d ever seen? He must be seeing Odette, then, Jane thought. Thin might be in, at least where she was from, but there was such a thing as too thin and Jane was it. After the accident, she’d been bed bound and tube fed. When she’d finally woken up, able to feed herself, she’d learned of her family’s demise and hadn’t had an appetite.

Now that her appetite had reasserted itself, she’d been forced to exist on only fruits and nuts.

Fruits…nuts…hmm… In that moment, she realized she was starving. For a juicy steak and a side of fries—on top of another steak. The food could wait, though. She was also starving for a man’s touch. A touch Nicolai gave her. Liberally. His strong fingers massaged her calves, deep and hard, hitting her just right. Moaning, she sagged against the moss beneath her.