She winced. Honestly, it felt like he’d delivered a hard body blow. She almost wished it were physical, because, really, it hurt like hell when he reminded her of her indiscretion. She tried to pull away, but his arm locked her in place. He caught her chin and forced her to meet his eyes.
“I was teasing you, Gabrielle, not chastising you. I did not have Gary in my mind at all. I understand what happened between you and I do not blame you for it. I misread the situation and handled it wrong. I have told this to you and I expect you to hear me this time and let it go.”
That was both sweet and infuriating. He could be so arrogant, ordering her to just let it go when she’d caused so much damage, like she could just forget everything because he told her to.
A faint smile lit his face for a brief moment and then, just that fast, was gone. “When you are angry with me, little cat, your eyes blaze fire. I like that.” He took her hand and brought it to the front of his trousers, so that her palm covered the thick bulge there right through the material. “You make me as hard as a rock when you get that fire in your eyes. Mostly because it reminds me of how you catch flame when I touch you.”
She didn’t know what to do with that so she ignored it. “You cannot just order me to forget something and expect it to happen.”
She should have moved her hand, they were right out in the open, but his hand had clamped hard over hers and she knew if she tried there would be a struggle. The man he’d used for food stirred and groaned softly. She wiggled her palm to try to warn Aleksei his prey was coming out of the enthrallment. More, she could hear two other men approaching with heavy footsteps.
Aleksei refused to relinquish her hand but moved them both back farther into the shadows. His free hand tipped her chin up to his. I would not ever embarrass you or allow another man to see what is mine and only for me. Still, when I want your touch, or to touch you, I will have it. You will have to trust me to protect us.
It feels . . . She wanted to say like exhibitionism, because it did, even though now she believed him when he said others could not see them. And he’d implied he would do far more than press her palm over his material-covered cock.
It feels like heaven, Gabrielle. When you touch me, it always feels like that. No one can see us. It is always just the two of us.
Deliberately he slipped his hand inside her blouse and caressed her breast through the lace of her bra. And then her bra was gone and her breast was being cupped in both hands, his thumb sliding across her nipple. The breath left her lungs as whips of lightning streaked straight to her sex. Aleksei’s mouth came down on hers, and the world fell away. Her brain malfunctioned. Melted. Sanity was gone and there was only him and his mouth and his hands.
Abruptly he was gone. His head had turned toward the two men now parallel with them. His breath hissed out, a long dangerous signal, as he thrust her behind him. She realized her bra was back in place and her clothes were in complete order. She blinked rapidly, trying to regain her ability to think. To understand what was happening.
Aleksei? The air around them had gone from fresh and clean to a murky, disturbing, very heavy feel. She pressed a hand to her stomach and tried to peer around his large frame.
Aleksei swept Gabrielle back again with one hand, this time using force. Stay. He bit the word out, snapping the command in her mind, her only warning. If you do not obey, I will force your obedience. He let her see he meant that as well. She caught at the back of his shirt for support, her hand fisting in the material. She didn’t pull. She didn’t fight him. She didn’t protest or even act, in her mind, angry with him in spite of his very real threat to her.
He studied the two men approaching the man he had used for feeding. Both were tainted. Both stank of vampire. Both stank of conspiracy. They had clearly been headed to the pub, and when he lightly touched their minds, he knew there was someone inside waiting for them. He feared he knew what that someone was. Not human.
He shared his knowledge with Gabrielle. Her fingers twisted tighter in his shirt, but she remained very still, and he felt her there in his mind.
Can you control them?
He realized she was afraid for the young man they were helping off the ground and onto the bench.
If necessary, but they are connected to what is inside and the pub is full tonight. If he knows there is a hunter out here, he will not leave peacefully. There will be a bloodbath.
“Izaak? What is wrong? Have you had too much to drink?”
The language was Polish, not English, but Aleksei interpreted in his mind so Gabrielle could better understand.
The one holding Izaak’s collar stiffened. “He has been tainted.”