The Cyn & Raphael Novellas Read online

  Cyn sighed and pushed up off the floor.

  “I’d better shower and change,” she told Elke. “Don’t want Raphael’s business buddies to think he mated a stinky human.”

  CYN STEPPED OUT of the shower, feeling well and thoroughly pummeled. Their shower was big and decadent, its multiple showerheads like a terrific massage rather than a shower. She wrapped herself in a towel, then grabbed another and rubbed it over her wet hair as she walked over and opened the door. Cool air rushed into the steamy room, and she started to turn back, but then smiled at the sight of Raphael sitting in his big chair, reading something on an iPad. He looked all serious and handsome in a brilliant white shirt and perfectly creased charcoal slacks, a dark blue silk tie with a tiny silver design providing a nice touch of color. The matching suit jacket was lying across the bed, as if he’d tossed it there. But Cyn knew that was only for show. Raphael was far too vain to risk marring the perfect cut of his suit. He’d have laid it down just so. She grinned crookedly. He was such a control freak.

  “I don’t trust that grin,” he commented without looking up.

  “It’s Pirozzi you shouldn’t trust,” she said, deliberately offhand as she strolled across the room toward him. “That vampire’s a pig. No, wait. Pigs are too smart. He’s a toad. A big, fat, bloated toad.” She stood directly in front of him and nudged his leg with her bare foot teasingly, waiting for a response.

  Raphael smiled slightly and set down his iPad, still without looking up. And then before she could react, he grabbed her around the waist and tumbled her laughing into his lap.

  “Insulting our guest won’t get you out of the meeting,” he murmured, slipping one long-fingered hand beneath the towel and caressing her naked hip.

  Cyn tightened her lips in irritation, then turned and stuck her tongue out at him.

  He only laughed and said, “Neither will that. I’ve better uses for your tongue.”

  “Do you?” she murmured, and bracing herself against his shoulders, she rose up and twisted around until she was straddling his lap. She began loosening his tie. “We’ll be late for your meeting,” she commented, sliding the tie off and tossing it aside.

  Raphael tugged her towel completely away and dropped it to the floor. “There is no meeting without me,” he growled and cupped both of her breasts in his hands, strumming the nipples with his thumbs. His eyes lifted to meet hers, their black depths flickering with silver starlight.

  Cyn’s breath caught in her throat as a familiar thrill shivered along her nerves. She loved the way he desired her, the heat that still filled his eyes whenever he looked at her. No matter how long they’d been together or how much they argued—and they did argue—he still wanted her. This beautiful, powerful creature who could turn heads just by walking into a room wanted her.

  Her heart swelled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you,” she whispered. “So much.”

  Raphael gripped her more tightly, one hand on the nape of her neck, the other low on her back, holding her still as he crushed his mouth against hers in a hungry, demanding kiss. His tongue swept between her lips, caressing every inch of her mouth, tangling around her tongue in a battle for dominance that neither one of them cared about winning.

  “I love you, my Cyn,” he whispered against her lips. “Remember that.”

  “I don’t have to remember,” she said fervently. “You’ll always be here to tell me.”

  He kissed her again, yanking her closer until his growing arousal was nestled right between her thighs. She rocked forward, eyes closed, pleasuring herself against the rigid bulge of his cock as he switched his kisses to her breasts, taking one nipple between his lips and sucking hard, his tongue tormenting the stiff peak until his teeth closed on it gently, and she hissed in pleasure. She loved it when he did that, when the initial sting of his bite became a jolt of lust that sizzled right down through her belly to spear her pussy. She felt the resulting gush of wet heat and ground herself on his cock where it was straining against the confines of his zipper.

  “Oh, dear,” she said breathlessly, “I’ve gotten your pants all wet and sticky.”

  Raphael’s strong fingers dug into her ass. “I have other pants,” he hissed, his breath hot on her neck as he teased her with small bites, never breaking the skin, only tantalizing her with the scrape of his fangs and the soothing touch of his tongue.

  “Raphael,” she groaned.

  He lowered his head further, his teeth closing around the fragile arch of her clavicle, barely breaking the skin before pulling away and licking the small taste of her blood.

  “Delicious, my Cyn,” he murmured, and she could feel his smile against the curve of her shoulder.

  She made a wordless noise of frustration, grabbing both sides of his fine shirt and tearing it open, sending buttons flying. She sighed with satisfaction at the sight of his naked chest, running her fingers lovingly over his firm pecs, pushing the shirt over his shoulders and squeezing the thick pads of muscle there, then smoothing her hands down to his waist and scraping her nails over the hard ridges of his abdomen.

  “Gorgeous,” she whispered, her fingers already busy unbuckling his belt. She glanced up and found him leaning back and watching her with bemusement. Giving him a quick grin, she carefully unzipped his pants, humming with satisfaction when his beautiful, hard cock sprang into her fingers, bucking as if eager for her touch.

  Cyn stroked up and down—once, twice—loving the glide of hot skin over the hard steel of his erection, the clench of his abdominal muscles as he hardened even further in her grasp.

  “Mine,” she said, then rose up onto her knees, just enough that she could slip him between the swollen lips of her sex, into the slick, wet ache between her thighs. She lowered herself slowly, taking him into her body, feeling her sensitive tissues stretch to accommodate his thickness. A sigh of pleasure escaped her lips, and she closed her eyes as she began rocking slowly back and forth.

  Raphael growled abruptly, a deep rumbling sound that had Cyn’s eyes flashing open to see his eyes burning with hunger. His arms came around her and his hands stroked down her back to curl over her hips and grip her tightly.

  She sucked in a breath as his fingers dug in and he buried his cock more deeply inside her. Cyn threw her head back and closed her eyes, savoring the exquisite sensation as he began thrusting up against her, his big hands gripping her hips, holding her close as he asserted his dominance. Leaning forward, she lowered her mouth to his shoulder and bit down hard, satisfaction zinging through her at his hiss of lust. Anticipation shivered over her skin when she felt his moist breath against her neck, when his tongue scraped roughly over her jugular. She groaned at the press of his fangs and wanted to call his name, to demand that he take her now. But her throat couldn’t produce the sounds, her breath panting out of her chest, her lungs squeezed by the pounding of her heart. She cried out, begging for release, trying to move, to flex her hips against his thrusting, anything to relieve the terrible need building to a crest so high it threatened to crush her.

  RAPHAEL WATCHED with hooded eyes as Cyn writhed in his grip, a study in pure sensuality. Her lovely skin was flushed with color, sweat gleaming along the swell of her breasts as they swayed against him, her nipples rosy pearls that rubbed against his chest with every thrust of his cock into her sweet body. Her nails scraped the back of his neck, and he felt the warm brush of her breath against his skin a moment before she bit his shoulder, her blunt human teeth drawing blood. He hissed with pleasure when her lips closed over the wound, when her tongue lapped out and she swallowed, drinking his blood. Fisting his hand in her silky hair, he bared her neck and lowered his mouth to the gentle curve of her jaw, nibbling, teasing, relishing her pleading gasps as he finally brought his mouth to the enticing blue line of her jugular. His tongue rasped along its length, plumping it until it was a juicy swell of blood. Baring his fangs, he sliced easily through the velvet warmth of her skin, puncturing the thin membra
ne of her vein and releasing the honey sweet flow of her blood. He drew deeply, like a man starved, her blood filling his mouth and sliding down his throat, giving him warmth, granting him life. Cyn’s scream of climax vibrated against his bones as she trembled in his arms, every muscle clenching, holding onto him as if she couldn’t let go, her knees digging into his hips as her hot, wet pussy squeezed his cock like a vise and she shivered in his arms. He gripped her hips more tightly and thrust upward, her sheath pulsing along his length, demanding his climax, urging him to join her, to spend himself inside her.

  With a final flex of his hips, he plunged balls-deep into her heat, his own orgasm racing in an unstoppable wave until it crashed over him, filling her with his release, claiming her once again as his own, now and forever.

  CYN COLLAPSED against Raphael and waited for the trembling to stop, for her heartbeat to grow even, for her lungs to draw a full breath. Sex with Raphael was like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. She snuggled her face against his neck, breathing in his familiar scent, loving the way he was smoothing one hand up and down her back, almost as if to comfort her. She kissed the soft skin of his freshly shaved jaw. A couple more hours and his beard would show up again, and she’d love that, too. Who was she kidding? She loved him any way she could get him.

  His arms tightened around her, which was the only warning she got before he stood, taking her with him.

  “Where are we going?” she asked lazily.

  “To the shower we both need.”

  Cyn chuckled. “You’re still wearing clothes.”

  “Not for long.” He slid her down his body until her feet hit the ground, placing both hands on her waist until he was certain she was steady on her feet. “Stay there,” he ordered.

  Cyn considered making a run for it, just because it would be so much fun when he chased her. But she was feeling too boneless to generate that much energy, so instead she watched in amusement as Raphael stripped out of his clothes in record speed, giving her a sly glance at the ruin of his shirt.

  “You have plenty of shirts,” she dismissed. “In fact, you have plenty of exactly that shirt.”

  “The loss was well worth it,” he all but purred, and Cyn felt a little shiver of excitement tighten her nipples.

  “Shower,” Raphael said, turning her around and giving her ass a smack.

  “Hey!” she protested, even though he’d barely touched her. Their lovemaking became wild sometimes, but he was always exquisitely careful with her. His strength was overwhelming, but he’d never hurt her. Not that way.

  “Shower,” he repeated. “Pirozzi is still waiting.”

  “Unfortunately. You sure he hasn’t given up and gone home?”

  Raphael laughed. “I’m certain I’d have heard if that were the case. Jared is keeping him company for us.”

  Cyn’s good mood hiccupped at the mention of his lieutenant’s name. Jared had been behind the plan to use Raphael as bait for the assassin, and she was sure he’d argued for keeping her in the dark about it, too. Duncan would never have done that. She still missed Raphael’s former lieutenant, even though she understood that his leaving had been a good thing for Duncan and Raphael both. Duncan had finally gotten a territory of his own, which was an honor long overdue. Plus he’d met Emma who, it turned out, was the love of his life. And Raphael . . . well, Raphael got another ally on the powerful Vampire Council. More, really, since it was Raphael who’d made Duncan a vampire, and the bond between a vampire and his children was nearly unbreakable. One by one, Raphael was seeding the Council with vampires who were either his own children or who’d agreed to ally with him for the foreseeable future.

  Raphael had plans, and Cyn wasn’t sure anyone knew exactly what those plans were. She wanted to ask him about it, but was afraid he wouldn’t tell her. Or, worse, that he’d lie about it. And she couldn’t take it if that happened. So, she didn’t ask, figuring he’d tell her when he thought the time was right. In the meantime, she went to every boring meeting, keeping up her side of the bargain. As Elke had said, Cyn was the one who’d insisted on being in on the decision making.

  “Inside,” Raphael said, and she realized that he’d hustled her into the bathroom while she’d been thinking of other things. He opened the shower door and leaned in to turn on the water.

  “Aren’t you joining me?”

  “Of course,” he said, with a small smile.

  “Uh oh,” she joked. “You’re thinking bad thoughts.”

  “Not at all,” he said smoothly, stepping into the shower behind her and closing the door. “My thoughts are very, very good.”

  He lathered up and began washing her body . . . slowly, sensuously, his strong hands massaging her back, squeezing her ass. She moaned, arching her into him as his fingers dipped between her thighs.

  “Now who’s thinking bad thoughts,” he whispered against her overheated skin.

  Cyn turned to face him, taking pleasure in his indrawn breath as her breasts brushed against his chest. Reaching behind him, she pumped some shower gel into her hands and began stroking his very fine chest. “My turn,” she murmured, letting her hands drift down over his flat belly and farther, until she was caressing the hard length of his fully aroused cock. One of the joys of bedding a vampire—their stamina and recovery was phenomenal. She smiled happily.

  “Cyn,” he said quietly.

  She looked up and found his eyes had gone nearly solid silver with lust. Her womb clenched, and an aching need swelled between her thighs. She licked her lips, and his gaze shifted avidly.

  With a low growl, he lifted her by the waist and pinned her against the tile wall. Looping his hand under her thigh, he wrapped it around his hip, lifting her until his cock was positioned at her entrance. Cyn bucked against him hungrily, wanting him inside her again . . . and again after that. It would never be enough. Raphael’s hand came between them, and then he was sliding between the swollen folds of her outer lips, forcing his way through the slick tissues of her sheath, until there was nothing between them but skin.

  He paused for a moment, his fingers clenching along her thigh, his other hand fisted on the tile over her head as he stared down at her. His cock kicked deep inside her, as if demanding he start moving again. Cyn looked into his eyes and smiled, then flexed her hips just slightly.

  Raphael snarled and started fucking her hard and fast, slamming his cock into her, their wet skin slapping noisily in the steamy confines of the shower. Cyn wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on, meeting every thrust with one of her own, threading her fingers through his short hair, digging her nails into his scalp. She cried out as her climax drew closer, as every nerve ending she possessed began quivering in eager anticipation. The inner walls of her sex tightened, caressing Raphael’s thick cock, making him groan as he fought to keep moving in and out.

  Cyn was drowning in sensation, sweat rolling down her body in the steamy shower, hot water pounding them from all sides. Her skin felt too tight, with even the slightest touch of Raphael’s hand sending waves of pleasure straight to her clit, her nipples so hard that every scrape against his chest was a fresh ripple of orgasmic stimulation. Raphael’s eyes were closed, his muscles straining as he fought his own climax, fought against the loss of control. Focusing hard, Cyn flexed her inner muscles around his cock. Raphael’s eyes flashed open, his hot gaze meeting hers.

  “Come with me, lubimaya. Come now.”

  Cyn let go with a groan of relief, letting the climax overtake her. She tipped her head back against the tile wall, her entire body convulsing as desire roared through her veins and shrieked along her nerves, her muscles spasming until she would have fallen if Raphael hadn’t been there to hold her up. He wrapped her legs around his waist, lifting her higher and spreading her thighs, so he could go even deeper. And then with a rush of heat that she felt in her womb, he was coming, his voice a rasp of sound against her ear as he said her name.

  Chapter Two

 
THEY WERE LATE for their meeting, but no one seemed to care. Or at least, no one dared say anything to Raphael. Cyn was certain everyone knew she and Raphael had been humping their brains out. There was only so much one could do to cover up that post-orgasmic glow. But fuck ’em. They could find their own perfect lovers. She had hers, and she was going to take full advantage.

  Jared filled them in on what they’d missed so far, a quick and thorough rundown of an incredibly boring session. In a nutshell, Pirozzi wanted to expand his very successful manufacturing operation, and since Raphael was his biggest, and only other, shareholder, he needed the big guy’s approval. Yawn.

  But she managed to appear reasonably alert and interested, managed also to remain, if not friendly, then at least polite to Jared. And not to cheer out loud when the meeting ended.

  Raphael gave her a discreet wink, knowing her too well not to understand what she was thinking. She gave him wide, who-me? eyes that fooled no one, least of all Raphael, then watched as he stood to bid Pirozzi farewell, accepting the other vampire’s slight bow of obeisance. There were some vampires in Raphael’s circle, those closer to him, with whom he’d shake hands in greeting, or even, in Lucas’s case, exchange hugs. But then, that was Lucas. He was a very huggy guy for a vampire. In any event, Pirozzi was not of the inner circle and definitely not a friend. He was simply one of the many vampires who called Raphael master. Raphael ruled his people absolutely, but fairly, and they accorded him both respect and fear. That’s how it worked among vampires.

  When Pirozzi and his assistant were gone, Raphael took Cyn’s hand and pulled her to her feet, draping a possessive arm over her shoulders as he walked her out of the conference room and down the hall to his office.

  “Work?” she asked.

  “An hour’s worth. You can go downstairs if you want.”

  “No, I’ll stay with you. I’ve got some catching up to do, too.”