A Mate for Lazarus(7)

She heard the rear door slam just as she was climbing into the SUV. This seemed too easy. They were just letting her in. This woman, Allison, seemed to buy all of her answers. It nagged at her. What was she missing?

Breathe, Alex.

Relax. You’ve got this. Just as long as they didn’t strip search her, she would be home free. There was a little voice inside her that told her she was wrong to do this but she tamped down on it. The world had a right to know what was going on behind these walls. So far, she had enjoyed her dealings with the vampires. What she was doing was essentially wrong but if she played her cards right, the vampires might actually end up thanking her in the end.

****

Fuck!

Lazarus was screwed. At least he hoped he was screwed and soon. The female was a vision. An absolute utter, fucking vision.

He growled low and deep as his eyes tracked the lush curves of her body. The pink dress she wore stopped at mid-thigh. Her legs were short and her creamy thighs plump. He longed to squeeze them, moreover, he longed to part them. His nostrils flared as he took in her scent, chili and chocolate. Defuckinglicious. Her mammary glands were barely contained. Her red tinted hair had a light curl making it a little wild and untamed just like the female herself. Her cleavage was deep, his hands itched to touch. His mouth…

“Stop that!” She snapped.

“You shouldn’t have worn that scrap of material if you didn’t want me looking.” His gaze moved to hers. Icy blue yet so fiery that the depths of hell would look like a picnic in comparison. He loved her sass. Fucking loved it.

“It’s a summer dress. Everything is covered. We’re going on a picnic or something.” Alexandra made a flourish with her hands and gave him a dirty look. “You would swear I was in a bikini or something.”

Lazarus bit back a groan as he imagined her curves straining to break free against a tiny, string bikini. “I will need to speak with Allison about including swimming on the itinerary. I would pay huge sums of money to see…”

She held up a hand. “Spare me. It aint gonna happen, buster, so you might as well just forget about it. This is the most you are going to get to see of me, so get used to it.”

Lazarus had to frown. “You do realize that this is a breeding program? We’re expected to date and to fuck and not necessarily in that order.”

Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened.

“It’s a breeding program, Alexandra.” He emphasized her full name because there was no way in hell this female was remaining a mere fucking friend. “Why do I keep having to remind you of that very important fact?”

Her mouth rounded for half a beat before she composed herself. “I thought we agreed that we would get to know each other better. That means we date, and we date, and we date some more, and then maybe, just maybe”—she made a flourish with her hands again—“the other stuff will happen.”

He grinned. “We will get to know each other…”

He noticed how her body language gave away the relief that she was obviously feeling at his statement. Her breath came out in a huff and her muscles relaxed. Especially the ones around her shoulders.

Lazarus had to smile before he continued. “We will get to know each other really, really well. Intimately…”

Her eyes widened and her shoulders squared. “You have more chance of me wearing a string bikini than that happening, and since I didn’t bring one you’re plum out of luck.”

What was she playing at?

“Why are you here then?” He took a step towards her. “You’re acting like it was never your intention to get to know me…to possibly take this further. To simplify things, let’s call this a dating program. That implies spending time together with the intention of a relationship. You act like it’s a foreign concept to you. So, I’ll repeat my initial question…why are you here?”

Alexandra’s eyes widened before she schooled her emotions. Whether intentional or not, her hand moved the tie between her breasts. The ribbon in question caused the material to gather beneath her breasts, thus enhancing their exquisite curve. Her mammary glands were plump and milky white. Her nipples would be a pale pink like her lips. Fucking exquisite.

She swallowed thickly and he watched as her long, pale neck worked. “Let’s go sit over there. Under the trees.”

Lazarus nodded. This female was clever. That was for sure. It was clear that she had purposely drawn his attention to her breasts, thus making him forget his train of thought momentarily. If she thought for one second that he was dropping this though, then she was seriously mistaken. “Tell me one thing, Alexandra.” He spoke once they had spread the blanket and had sat down. Lazarus paused, watching her closely.

She shrugged. “Go for it. Ask away.” The human opened the basket, and the scent of fresh bread and other enticing aromas, escaped.

“Do you at least find me attractive?” He kept his eyes on her.

Alexandra cocked one of her brows but didn’t answer. Instead, she continued to unpack the basket. Sparkling water, wine and glasses followed by plates and napkins. Then she unpacked the delicious smelling bread, an assortment of cheeses and spreads as well as pieces of cold, roast chicken.

“I ask, because it is important. There is very little chance that one of the other males would select you at this stage. They all have their sights set on a human female already. I can safely say that I am the only one…for lack of a better word…available.” It was bullshit. A number of the males would be as interested as fuck, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. No fucking way.

Alexandra continued to remove items from the basket, glancing up every so often and looking at him from under her lashes.

“You see…if you don’t find me attractive then we’re wasting our time. It won’t work between us. If that is the case then I will plead with Brant to allow you to be accepted for the next heat. You can leave vampire territory right now.”

She picked up the container with the chicken sealed inside and placed it on her lap. “I think that the more important question is, do you find me attractive?” Her legs were tucked beneath her, her blue eyes were wide. Her hands were white knuckled on the container.

Lazarus chuckled. “You’ve threatened to poke my eyes out and have complained, on more than one occasion, about the way that I look at you. I have already said that it is my intention to get to know you…intimately.” He took a deep breath. “I would be more than happy to explain in great detail the things I would like to do to you. Things that would require you to be naked, writhing, sweating.”

Her eyes stayed on the bottle of wine for a few seconds before she picked up the sparkling water. Then she smiled. “You want to do Pilates with me? How did you know that I enjoy being naked while working out?”

Lazarus smiled right back. Alexandra may have responded with a flippant remark but his words had affected her. He could tell by the way her pupils dilated, how her breath quickened and her heart rate sped up. Even her cheeks were flushed, a deep, rosy pink. “Call it what you will, Alexandra. Pilates, a workout…I don’t give a fuck. Just know that my dick will be deep inside of you when it happens.”

“When I said not to bother with the romance or charm, I didn’t give you carte blanche to be vulgar.” She narrowed her eyes at him.

Lazarus could scent her arousal, thick and heavy. The female might have stated that she was offended by his words but her body said otherwise. He decided not to call her out on it. At least not yet. He wanted to hear her say the words. Needed to hear them before this went any further. “Are you attracted to me? A simple yes or no will suffice?”

She shrugged as she placed the food container back on the blanket. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.” She grabbed a glass and poured some of the sparkling water into it.

Lazarus had to shake his head. “That’s not much of an answer.”

“Well it’s all you’re going to get.” She downed half the glass, all the while keeping her eyes firmly on his.

Alexandra may have been aroused by the things that he had said, but that didn’t mean that she was aroused by him. He was dying to fuck her but the problem was that even though he didn’t know her very well he found himself liking her. There was something there…at least, there was for him. He needed to know if she felt the same. This wasn’t a game to him.

Yet, he wasn’t quite ready to put it all on the line either. One step at a time.

“Prove it.” He lay back, using his elbows to support himself.

Alexandra gasped. Her eyes widened for a second before they narrowed, turning dark and stormy. “I don’t have to prove anything. I’m here and that’s proof enough.”

“You do need to prove it. At least, you do if you want to stay.”

“Why are you being such a dick? Can’t we just relax,”—she looked around them—“enjoy the scenery and get to know one another a little? I don’t even know your middle name. What’s your favorite color? Do you have any brothers or sisters? This is moving way too fast.”

“I don’t have a middle name. Pink and yes I do…ten of them.”