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that burdened him down； filled him up； and he could not be free of it。 I understood why Jean…Claude had said that we would feed off those we were already attracted to。 There was so much more to feed from with Nathaniel。 Our history together made it not just a feeding； but a feast。
I worked my way back down his body； biting along his flesh； not drawing blood now。 I lay with my cheek pressed against the curve of his buttocks； fighting with myself not to reach my hand around to the front of him。 Fighting the growing need。 I would not touch him； not like that。 When I could trust myself； I spread his legs as far as they would go； and bit down； marking areas untouched； getting ever closer； until I could see him pressed between his body and the bed。 I wanted to lick him there； roll his testicles in my mouth。 But I didn't trust myself。 I'd laid his back and buttocks bloody； I didn't trust myself； couldn't guarantee what I would do。 I moved my mouth back without touching him； and the pressure of his lust and mine rode like summer lightning； almost there； almost there。 I ran my tongue on the small ridge of skin just in back of his testicles； and Nathaniel cried out。
I sucked the skin； drew it into my mouth in a long line； working it with tongue and teeth； and the pressure broke over us like a storm released in one long thunderous burst。 He called my name； and I raked his thighs with my nails and fought with two different hungers not to bite that delicate bit of skin away from his body。 When it was over； I drew back from him just enough to see that I hadn't marked him； not even the mark of my teeth。 I lay on the bed； between his legs； one arm on his thigh； the other folded beneath me； listening to the pounding of my heart。
He lay quiet except for his still frantic breathing。 A sound raised me up to gaze over Nathaniel's leg； propping myself up on the smooth wounded flesh of his butt。
Jason was standing in the middle of the room with what looked like shackles in his arms。 His eyes were wide； his own breathing a little too fast。
I should have been embarrassed； but the ardeur was sated； and my beast lay curled inside me like a contented cat。 I was too well…pleased with myself to be embarrassed。 〃How long have you been watching？〃 Even my voice sounded lazy； content。
He had to clear his throat twice before he could say； 〃Long enough。〃
I climbed back up Nathaniel's body； until I was pressed against the length of him。 I laid my cheek against his face； and whispered； 〃Are you alright？〃
〃Yes。〃 It was a whisper。
〃I didn't hurt you？〃
〃It was 。。。 wonderful。 Oh； God； it was 。。。 better than I'd imagined it。〃
I raised up； stroking his hair； turning back to look at Jason； still standing in the middle of the floor。 〃Why didn't you try and stop me？〃
〃Jean…Claude was afraid you'd tear out Nathaniel's throat or something messy like that。〃 Jason's voice was returning to normal； only the slightest edge of uncertainty in it。 〃But I watched you。 Every time I thought I'd have to intervene； you drew back。 Every time I thought you were going to lose control； you didn't。 You rode the hunger； you tamed it。〃
I felt Jean…Claude waken； felt him take his first breath of the day。 He sensed me； too； felt me still lying naked on Nathaniel's body； smelled the scent of fresh blood； felt that I had fed； and fed well。 I felt him ing towards me； hurrying towards me； attracted to the scent of blood； and warm flesh； and sex； and me。
16
〃JEAN…CLAUDE'S ING；〃 JASON said。
〃I know；〃 I said。
Jason walked to the foot of the bed and gazed down at us； at me。 His eyes lingered on me。 Most of my body was hidden beside Nathaniel； but he looked at what was revealed。 If I hadn't had that glimpse into his heart； I'd have been mad； or told him to stop； but I didn't know what to say now。 He wanted me； just me for me； not forever； but just for a night； a day； a week； just for sometimes。 Jason's feelings for me might be the most unplicated of all the men in my life。 Unplicated had its attractions； even with the ardeur gone。 The moment I thought gone； I realized that wasn't true。 The hunger was just below the surface； like something simmering in a pot； you have to keep the heat low； or it boils over。 I'd had enough heat for one day。
Jason and I looked at each other。 I don't know what we would have said； but just then the door opened。 It was Asher。 His room was closer than the coffin room； but I hadn't expected him。 His golden hair lay in perfect waves around the shoulders of his robe。 Vampires didn't move in their 〃sleep〃 so no morning hair problems。 The robe was a rich； deep brown； open over matching pajama bottoms。 His chest was bare； and the robe flared around him like a cape as he strode into the room。
He came to stand beside the bed； but his gaze went to Nathaniel's body； to the blood。 〃I felt 。。。 〃 He raised his eyes to my face； and I peered at him over Nathaniel's body。 〃I felt the call。〃
〃I didn't call you；〃 I said。
〃The power did。〃 He dropped to his knees beside the bed。 〃You did this？〃
I nodded。
He reached out towards me； as if to touch my face； then jerked back。 It was like he'd touched something in the air in front of me that had startled him。 He raised his hand to his face and sniffed it； then licked it； as though there was something there to taste。
〃May I taste your pomme de sang？〃 It was French for apple of blood； and it was a nickname for a person that was a regular donor to a particular vampire。 Part of me wanted to argue with the phrase； but I had fed off of Nathaniel； even tasted his blood。 To demand a different phrase was splitting hairs a little too finely for my conscience。 We'd call a spade a spade。
〃Define taste。〃 I said。
〃Lick the wounds。〃
The suggestion should have bothered me； but it didn't。 I lowered my face enough to see Nathaniel's eyes。 〃Is it okay with you； Nathaniel？〃
He nodded； face still pressed to the bed。
〃Help yourself。〃
Asher lowered his mouth to Nathaniel's back； to a wound just above his waist。 He kept those ice blue eyes rolled up towards me； the way you would watch someone on a judo mat afraid that if you look away； they'll hurt you。 It reminded me of watching lions drink from pools； with their eyes rolled up； watching for danger while they drank。
Nathaniel made a small sound as Asher licked the wound。 It had stopped bleeding； but as the vampire traced the wound with his tongue； I saw blood well to the surface again。 Vampires have an anticoagulant in their saliva； but I'd never seen its use demonstrated quite so well before。
It made me wonder。 I curled closer to Nathaniel's body； one leg entwining over his。 I didn't ask permission； because he was mine； and I knew him well enough to know he would not only not mind； but he would wele it。 I lowered my mouth to another of the wounds that had nearly stopped bleeding and licked。 There was the sweet copper taste of blood； and the thick； rich taste of his skin； and a taste of 。。。 meat。 As if I could tell what he would taste like if I ate him one bite at a time。
The beast flared over my skin like something trembling and alive。 Nathaniel's beast responded to it； flaring； rolling； as if I could see it just below his skin； just below his ribs； as if I could feel where it lay in the heart of his body。 In that moment I knew I could call his beast； could coax him to change when the moon was far from full。 I was his Nimir…Ra； and that meant so much more than merely being his dominant。
Asher's eyes had drowned in pale blue fire； so he looked blind as he licked at the wound。 He gazed into my face； directly across Nathaniel's body； our eyes at the same level as we tasted the wounds。 My wound bled a little bit more； but not as much as Asher's did。 I was not truly a blood drinker I fed on other things and staring across Nathaniel's body； feeling his breathing quicken as the two of us touched him； I knew that those other things were here for the taking。
Asher's hand slid over Nathaniel's body； until he touched my thigh where it curved over Nathaniel's leg。 The moment he touched me something rushed between us。 It was as if the ardeur recognized him； as if it had touched him before。
It made me raise up from the wound； drew me back into myself； a little。 Something on my face made Asher take his hand back。
Jean…Claude entered then。 He was wearing a black robe with black fur at collar； lapel； and sleeves。 His black hair melted into the fur； so you couldn't tell where one blackness stopped and the other began。 The last time I'd seen him in the robe； I'd told him there better be something under the robe besides skin。 Now； I hoped there wasn't。
Seeing him brought the ardeur boiling over me again。 It made me catch my breath； things lower than my stomach clenching tight enough to draw a sound from my throat。
〃She holds your incubus；〃 Asher said； and his voice tore my gaze from Jean…Claude to him。
〃Oui。〃 Jean…Claude glided around the room to the opposite side of the bed from where Asher knelt。
〃She tastes of you； and of Belle Morte。〃
〃Oui；〃 Jean…Claude said。 He walked around the bed to the other side； and I rolled away from Nathaniel so I could see Jean…Claude move。 The movement exposed the front of my body； and I had enough of myself left to roll onto my stomach。
Jason said； 〃A〃
I ignored him。
Jean…Claude lifted the robe so he could crawl onto the bed。 The movement revealed a long； pale line of skin from his shoulders to his stomach。 The glimpse of that white flesh caught between the blackness of the fur made me want to untie the sash and expose his entire body。 But I stayed where I was； half…leaning against Nathaniel； because I was afraid to move。 Afraid to go to Jean…Claude； because I didn't trust myself。
There was just enough of me left not to want to make love to Jean…Claude in front of the other men。 But it was a razor…thin part； something that glittered in the darkness but didn't quite believe itself anymore。
〃The hunger recognizes Asher。 Is it because it's yours； or because it's hers？〃 I asked。
〃Hers？〃 he asked。
〃Belle Morte。〃
〃I do not know；〃 he said。 And he was close enough now that the edge of the robe brushed my body。 I could see a thin line of pale skin below the waist where the robe gaped。 A thin； thin line of white； but it was enough to let me know that there was nothing under the robe but Jean…Claude。
I wanted to open the robe； to see all of him。 I said it without thinking； as if I hadn't meant to say it out loud。 〃Open the robe。〃 It startled me as if I didn't know my own voice。
I closed my eyes； tried to think。
〃It is alright； ma petite。 Once taken； blood fills your stomach； but lust 。。。 〃 Fur brushed in a teasing line down my arm。 〃Lust is always there； never vanquished pletely； never satisfied。〃 He brushed the edge of his furred cuff down my waist； my hip； my thigh； my calf。 When he brushed it along my foot； he started back up； but this time on the back of my body； so that the teasing brush touched my buttocks； my back； my shoulder。
I lay wordless； breathless； under his touch。 When he curved the fur around my face； I grabbed the edge of the robe and held him away from me。 〃Make everyone leave。〃 My voice was barely above a whisper。
〃I can do nothing until I have fed； ma petite； you know that。〃
〃I know。 Blood pressure。〃 I was having a hard time thinking。 〃Then do it； but 。。。 〃
〃Hurry；〃 he said softly。
I nodded。
He drew his sleeve out of my grip and looked down the bed to Jason； who was still standing there； watching the show。 〃e； pomme de sang； e and enjoy the rewards of your sacrifice。〃
The phrase was oddly formal； and I'd never heard it put that way before。 I expected Jason to go around the bed to the same side as Jean…Claude； but he didn't。 He rolled over the foot of the bed in a movement so liquid it was like watching water flow； as if his skin barely contained some elemental energy that had nothing to do with the flesh and bone body I was seeing。 He ended on his knees on the opposite side from Jean…Claude。 I could taste the movement of his body in my mouth； not just his heart； but as if every throb and beat of him was trying to slide over my tongue and down my throat。 I could feel his eagerness； not for me； but for what Jean…Claude had to offer。 He came