would rid the world of one more deadly beast.
But he said gently to her, “You’re afraid.” Which was obvious—she had her robe wrapped around her up to the base of her throat, the covers pulled up to her chin. He sat on the edge of the bed.
She tipped up her chin. “I don’t understand why you don’t just get in here with me. Why are you drawing this out?”
Sinjin cupped her cheek. The feel of her dewy skin against his palm—it made his jaw ache with hunger, with desire, with need. She went tense beneath his touch.
“Drawing it out is supposed to be part of the fun,” he informed her, watching the way her eyes widened in obvious dismay. Softly, he let his thumb brush her lips. Velvet and plump, just as he liked them. “It is called foreplay, my dear. Most women enjoy it.”
“We made ... a bargain. I will do what you want. I promise you that.”
He could terrify her and feed off that emotion. He could do what she so obviously wanted—fuck her without conversation or care, thus evoking her anger and hatred. The power of her hatred would sustain him for a week.
But there was another way he could satisfy himself, he realized. Make Lady Lucy enjoy her seduction. He imagined she would feel so many emotions, he would feel like a drunkard unleashed in a brewery.
She was lovely. Her skin was alabaster and the scarlet robe was an erotic splash of color against it. Her lips were a deep wine red. Her hair, still pinned in place, was ebony, and promised to feel like silk. She had fetching dark nipples, the kind whose bounce could hypnotize a man. And she had the covers drawn almost up to her throat.
“As for going home ...” He lifted her hand to his lips. “I think not, my dear. Not tonight.”
He whisked the bedcovers down and had the belt of her robe undone before her hands could move. One of the advantages of vampiric speed was how quickly he could disrobe a maiden.
Ironically she would be the first maiden in his bed—he normally seduced experienced women. Ironic because the dragon slayer was supposed to save the maiden. And he was bound—bound by duty and by the vow he had made on the day his family had died—to slay Lady Lucy.
He left her robe on but open, then drew the covers over her again. Stretching out beside her on the bed, he propped his head with his hand. He lay on top of the covers, while she was securely ensconced beneath.
Pink flooded her cheeks. Her chest rose and fell swiftly beneath the blanket. But her dark brows had knitted together in a deep frown, and fire snapped in her eyes. “That was ... unconscionable. You did that without even asking! And how did you do it so—so quickly?” She scuttled away a few inches beneath the covers and looked as indignant as a fishwife.
“You did encourage me to get on with it quickly. Now, would you prefer me to take my time, my dear?”
“I would prefer—” She closed her eyes and her teeth ripped at her lip. “I don’t know what would be best. In my head, I know it would be best to just do it now. But then my courage fails me... .”
“Shhh.” Sinjin bent over and lifted her fingers to his lips to kiss them. It was the first touch of his mouth to her skin. It was just a light caress of his lower lip across her knuckles, but it hit him with surprising force. It was like tasting fire. His head swam with lust and desire. The taste of her skin, the scent of her blood—it was remarkable. It was all that was sweet and delectable about pretty young ladies. But there was spiciness too. Her blood smelled of heat and cinnamon and cloves and jasmine. That had to be the dragon blood in her.
Wide, nervous blue eyes gazed at him as he gently pressed a kiss to each knuckle. “There’s nothing to fear, you know, Lady Lucy,” he lied smoothly.
Her brow rose. “I’m giving up everything. That does tend to make a woman fearful.”
“No one has to know what has happened between us. Most English gentlemen are not very clever. I’m sure you could still convince one you are a virgin on your wedding night.” For the first time in his life, he felt a flicker of conscience. She was not going to have a wedding night, was she? Not after he did his duty and destroyed her.
She shook her head. “I will never marry.”
He jerked guiltily. But he had to play his part. Seducer, not dragon slayer. “You are a beautiful woman. Irresistible to most gentlemen, I should think.”
“N-no.”
He flicked out his tongue and touched the very tip of her index finger. She squeaked softly, like a startled mouse. “I think you liked that. Let me show you other places that will like to be kissed.”
“My lips?” She drew back. “Could we not do this without kisses?”
Sinjin blinked. Strange. Most women wanted the kisses. Most women hungered for kisses. They seemed to believe kisses were the proof of a man’s regard. “As you wish. No kisses on your lips. But you cannot deny me the pleasure of putting my mouth everywhere else.”
“Everywhere?” she gasped.
Lucy blinked. He could not mean everywhere, could he? Where else could a man kiss a woman but on her hand and her lips?
The duke bent to her and pressed his lips to her neck. The oddest jolt of fire leapt from there. It rushed through her veins like flames licking at the sky.
His long hair also tickled as he stroked his mouth along her throat and reached the rim of her ear. He brushed back her hair. Surprisingly, his breath was cool. Almost icy. She’d heard her maids speak of men blowing their breath by their ears—something that hadn’t sounded at all enticing—but the maids had described warm breath. The duke’s breath was cold.
Still, the brush of it did feel surprisingly ... good.
He nibbled her ear, making shivers tumble down her spine. “Where do you like to touch yourself that pleases you, Lady Lucy?”
“W-what on earth do you mean?”
“What parts are sensitive to your touch? Have you touched here?” He stroked the exposed skin at her collarbones. Goodness, how could it feel so hot—like a candle’s flame flickering close to her skin? But fear crawled back inside and nestled around her heart. This was wrong. Forbidden. She was supposed to do it, but not like it. She might be committing the sin of sex without marriage, but it was for necessity. Forgivable—as long as she didn’t behave like a wanton and actually like the sin.
But try as she might, she could not deny his caress made her ache inside. The sort of ache she’d known before Mr. Ferrars had attacked her and had frightened her so badly.
“Well, of course I have touched there,” Lucy said simply, embarrassed. “I would scratch it when I have an itch.”
The duke laughed. A low, rolling laugh that rumbled like thunder. “Have you ever scratched here?”
Sinjin tugged the sheets from her hands and slid them down enough to expose the swell of her breasts. His body tightened with arousal at the sight of the full, generous curves. His erection bucked against his stomach.
Tracing her full breasts with his lips, he heard Lady Lucy whimper. From fear? Or desire? He couldn’t be sure. She was tense beneath
