to have him.

nicolas took her through the tunnels fast, straight to the chamber where the large bed stood. as he lowered her to the mattress, he waved his hand toward two soft candles, wanting to see her face, to see the need there for him. she reached for him and he caught her hands and pinned them to the mattress.

"do not move." it was a hiss of a command.

he bent over her, drinking in her body, sprawled across his bed, open for his exploration. he actually trembled, hot lust clawing at his stomach and pouring into his groin. he knelt on the bed, still locking her wrists to either side of her head. very slowly he lowered his head, forcing himself to be patient, to slowly savor the texture of her skin.

he nibbled his way down her throat to the curve of her breast. she writhed beneath him, her hips bucking, a flush spreading across her body.

"i'm so sensitive."

he smiled as he flicked his tongue over her nipple. "you are supposed to be."

lara gasped, unable to comprehend anything but the feel and need driving her. the sensation of his tongue and teeth rasping against her nipple sent electricity arcing to her belly and thighs, and sizzling deep within her feminine core.

he took her breast deep into his mouth, suckled strongly, teeth scraping with deliberate intent along her nipple. she cried out, arching her back, unable to remain still as he ordered. the combination of pain and pleasure sent shock waves rippling through her system. his mouth was relentless, driving her wild. he took his time, dividing his attention between her breasts, flicking his tongue fast and hard, then suddenly using slow, long licks as if savoring each stroke.

his fingers slid down her arms to caress the sides of her breasts before cupping the soft weight in his palms. his fingers tugged until she came off the bed with frantic little whimpers of mindless pleading.

she wasn't holding back at all. she left herself, mind, heart and body open to him and it was humbling. she trusted him with her body and her trust was a priceless, overwhelming gift. after everything he had done, she gave herself wholly into his keeping, trusting him to know what he could and couldn't do, trusting him to stretch her limits without going too far. more than anything, he wanted to be worthy of her faith in him.

his mouth moved over her skin, down her flat stomach to dip and play in her belly button. he felt a rush of desire for her so strong it shook him. he had always known that when he found his lifemate, he would want-no, need-to rule her until the dawn broke, yet never once had it occurred to him that he would feel the intensity of love. it shook him as nothing else could, the need to worship her body, show her with his body without words, how he felt.

his need was no longer about the lust driving him so hard. it was no longer about sating his own appetite for her. he needed to love her with every touch of his hand. every stroke of his tongue. every thrust of his body. he wasn't a gentle man. he didn't have pretty words to tell her how wrong he'd been. he only had his body and the terrible love that shook him beyond anything he'd ever known.

her skin was warm silk, so soft he wanted to burrow deep. she tasted like the night, clean and perfect and so damned beautiful it made his heart ache. he caught her thighs in his hands, pulling them apart, stopping for a moment just to drink her in.

lara's face was flushed, head tossing side to side on the pillows, her breasts heaving, her hips bucking. she didn't try to hide her reaction to his touch and her stark need of him made him want her even more.

lara looked at him, his expression almost savage as he lay between her legs. his black eyes glittered, even glowed a little. more than once she'd felt the scrape of his teeth over her skin-over every pulse point. her heart had thundered in alarm, but he never broke the skin or took advantage of the frantic desperation building inside of her. now he looked a conquistador, his midnight-black hair spilling around his face, lines etched deep, his sensual mouth set in firm, ruthless lines. he slowly bent his head and she stopped breathing.

his mouth clamped over her, tongue stabbing deep and she heard her own keening wail. he licked her like a tiger, almost an attack, not the gentle lapping of a kitten, but long, rasping strokes that stole her mind. he held her down when she tried to crawl off the mattress, black edges around the exploding stars in her mind. she felt the edge of his teeth nipping and scraping at the pounding beat of her pulse, so deep inside of her-and somehow fear added another dimension to her pleasure.

lara shuddered, the firestorm in the center of her body building until it was out of control. she couldn't think. couldn't breathe. couldn't stop the pressure. she thrashed beneath his marauding mouth, the wicked tongue and teeth that drove her higher and higher. and then his finger slipped into her channel and her hips bucked wildly as every muscle tightened to the point of pain. his tongue fluttered against her most sensitive spot.

she cried out his name, her hands fisting in his hair, holding him to her as her body flew apart, the flames scorching her from the inside out, burning white-hot and spreading like a storm from her center to her breasts and down her thighs.

before she could catch her breath, nicolas knelt between her thighs, lifting her legs over his arms, the

thick head of his erection pressed tightly against her entrance. he felt hard and hot, yet velvet encased, adding to the building inferno. her breath caught in her lungs and she stared up at his face, carved deep with sensual lines as he began to invade her. he slid deeper, slow inch by slow inch, stretching her tight muscles, forcing his way through the stranglehold of hot slick wails, sending lightning whipping through her body.

lara gasped when he halted, coming to the barrier of innocence.

"breathe for me, han ku kuulua sivamet . take a breath and relax."

keeper of my heart. the words in his native language were beautiful when he uttered them, soft and tender, turning her heart over. she forced her body to relax. nicolas surged forward, the bite of pain increasing her sensitivity so that her nails bit deep into his shoulders as she tried to anchor herself.

he began to move, long hard strokes that sent flashes of heat spiraling over her body, searing her thighs and scorching her belly. her muscles tightened more, clamping around him as he plunged even deeper, angling her body so the friction on her most sensitive spot was hot, demanding and never let up. she felt the pressure gathering and building until she was afraid she might lose her mind.

he picked up the pace, pistoning into her, the sound of flesh meeting flesh loud in the silence of the cave. her breath came in gasps as the fire continued to build, stretching her beyond her ability to cope. she could only plead for release in between breathing raggedly. she was going to burn from the inside out, just go up in flames or die from sheer pleasure if he didn't stop.

she heard his heart thundering in her ears. her mouth filled with the taste of him and her teeth lengthened, pressing against her lips. before she could think, before she could fear her own reaction, he reared back, then began a harder rhythm, pounding into her, that drove everything but pleasure from her mind. she was burning alive, screaming, as her body nearly convulsed, clamping down on him to squeeze and milk.

he yelled hoarsely, emptying himself into her, leaning over her, his eyes glowing hot with flames, his teeth in evidence. he made no attempt to hide from her dazed, shocked stare. aftershocks rocked her as he bent slowly to her neck. she couldn't move, couldn't breathe, even with her body still shuddering with pleasure. a part of her screamed inside, another part wanted to feel his teeth sink into her neck.

his lips feathered over her pulse. she felt the teasing scrape of his teeth, but he never penetrated her skin. he kissed his way up her neck to the corner of her mouth and when he smiled at her, his teeth had receded.

still buried deep, he moved and sent electricity arcing through her all over again.

"i can't move."

"you do not have to move. it is going to be a long, pleasurable night,parafertiilm ," he promised softly.