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"Right," I answer, and begin the climb The staircase is lit with muted amber lamps that cause shadows to dance on the walls as we pass It’s drafty, cool, and eerily quiet We’re alo out

Like a light Ba up and see down the corridor Then all is still I’m in darkness

For a while

When ulfed in heavy shadows I’ arhme Well-known Closeness Yetnot A s make me want to stay; the feel of him seemsfamiliar At least I think so I’m unsure I pin him with a hot stare and a frown I can only hope he sees in the dark "Let Me Go"

Moonlight shifts into the roo flashes in his darkened eyes briefly, and then it disappears, replaced by raw,it row He lowers his head, his lips touching mine "Don’t leave Please" He setss s a forefinger across e of h ah he’s never done the like before Then he holds my jaw and tilts ue touchesOnly a strong sense of familiarity that makes this feel unstoppable It’s Eli As soon as I shove ers into his hair and pull him closer, this man, thisshadow Eli man loses control

More than passion fuels his movements--I can feel it It seems more like starvation, a primal, uncontrolled drive to satisfy basic needs, to mark what is his and to make sure no other dare try to take it away That’s what it feels like

My lips are soft, pliable, and desperately seeking They all but consuency in h his shirt nearly drives hirabs the he it to the floor, his hands replacing the soft cotton as he moves theainst ertips trace the dragons trailing down both of my arms "You’re so beautiful," he says, and I find I don’t have the strength to answer hi is on fire, and there’s a place deep inside of, I lift a hand and stroke his jaw, his lips I feel his body shudder beneath my touch He allows me to unbutton his shirt and push it off his broad shoulders Taut skin is found beneath ers, as are cordedbiceps I still see nothing more than a silhouette, yet I want him so badly it hurts It literally aches inside of me I understand none of it Neither can I stop myself This is Eli But why can’t I make out his features? Why?

As he peels the clothes froainst his chest His hardness pushes at his groin and against ers he unlatches the small metal front clasp of my bra and pushes the silky material to the side His breath hitches in his throat as he stares at rasp either side of s of on Callused hands slip around my stomach as his mouth finds my shoulder, kisses then my neck, then ear "You’re the most exquisite creature I’ve ever encountered," he whispers, and pulls my lobe into his mouth I shudder, and he turns me to face him With his eyes fastened to mine, he sweeps me up in his arms and carries ht streaks in through thein a single beah illumination for me to see the outline of his features He’snot Eli He’s breathtaking I don’t know hies me to touch him, return his kisses, and arch into his embrace I can’t stop Is this Eli? My heart tells ht bathes his skin, ht He’s stretched overbut skin against skin I arch into hi over his muscular chest, then around his corded neck It s sizzle Blood pounds through ers trailers trace the muscles in his back, down his sides, and between us, where his thick hardness pushes heavily against rowl e his head, he brushes hismy jaw still with his hand His kiss isinternal Exploring Soulful I never want it to stop

He’s wedging hips between ht braced on one forearm The firm peaks ofdown, his eyes sadden "This wasn’t supposed to happen," he whispers, and kisses ive me"

My body is alive with more sensation than I can handle, and my

All I want is hiertips, I trace his spine fro each s and pulltheainst his ribs, and I know he can take it no h savoring every inch of ue, and I kiss hi my hips, ues entwined, and the intensity of the dual contact ainst ain I arch and push against hirab his neck and pull his head down tohisthe aroused peak I think I’ll lose my mind

My breath catches and I moan--a soft whimper that doesn’t even sound like me I can’t help it

With a hard yank, I pull his head to ue across his bottoently take it between my teeth "Now," I demand on a hoarse whisper "I want you now, Eli Please"

We stare at each for the space of a second, eyes locked Thisfigination shifts his hips and fills me in one slow thrust I moan out loud as my wet heat envelopes him, holds him, forces his eyes to close, and he shakes with aroused need

"Christ, Riley," he ainstfor a destination singularly his, the wild need to clai eruption within hirows at an uncontrollable speed and I can feel it, just as I feel my own, and he drives into e response shockshis every e until my name tears from his throat as he explodes inside me, over and over as he buries hi

My breath catches again and I hold hihtly as my own cli around hiasasps escaping my lips; then sloith each breath, ainst o around hiht I can’t stop Can’this lips to , deep, taking his tiathers me close "I am never far from you," he says softly "Even when you don’t know I’et aboutyou there Alone"

"Ri, wake up," a voice calls to me A hand caressesopen I feel as though I’ve been run over by a truck I blink several times, and only after a few moments do I realize I’m completely naked "What the hell?" I say, then turn to the voice awakeningon?" All I can now remember is the incredibly erotic dream I’ve had And especially the fact that I didn’t think it was a dreaht it was Eli Yetnow I’m not so sure I stare at the Romanian vampire "Tell me you didn’t take my clothes off" I pull the sheets up to ht of my roo

"Poe, Jesus Christ, when are you gonna--"

Noah bursts into my room and abruptly stops when he sees Victorian I know he doesn’t like the Romanian and will probably never trust hiree Noah turns to ht andare you gonna sleep, woman? It’s been al to take the sheet withI want to do is flash these two pervs "What? What the hell?" I say How could I have slept so long? "Move, Noah Actually, both of you get out of here I need to dress Without an audience"

"Damn," Noah mumbles, and rises from the bed "Jake said to let you sleep, that your body probably needed it"