He stroked her breasts, then took a nipple into his mouth. She arched her back, moaning from the sweetness of it. Again and again, he thrust into her. Harder and harder till she was gasping for air, swirling in a sea of sensation that grew stronger and stronger.
Just when she thought she was going to drown, the sensations shattered. She cried out, holding onto him tight. With a shout, he pumped into her, then collapsed, holding his weight on his elbows.
His fangs shot out. With a groan, he rolled onto his back.
She pressed a hand to her chest, waiting for her pounding heart to calm. She squeezed her thighs together. The sweet throbbing was still going on.
She’d done it. She’d mated for the first time. A laugh bubbled up her throat. The fire was gone, and she felt so strong and free.
Russell rose from the bed and strode toward the ice chest. Keeping his back to her, he stuck a bottle of blood into the microwave and waited for it to warm up.
She rolled onto her side to admire the sight of his back and buttocks. “Thank you.”
He stiffened, but didn’t turn around, didn’t say a word.
Was he angry with her? She sat up. “Are you all right?”
He removed the bottle and took a sip. “The sun will be up in a few minutes. After I’m dead, you should call your cousin to let him know you’re all right. Xiao Fang told him you were wounded, so I’m sure he’s been worried.”
She winced. She would have to admit that she’d progressed to her second life. And Rajiv would want to know if she’d mated. He would not be thrilled that the were-tiger princess had mated with a vampire. Especially when she was engaged.
Was that why Russell was refusing to look at her? Did he feel guilty? It wasn’t his fault. She was the one who had practically forced him.
She gasped. Oh God, she had forced him. He’d tried over and over to stop her, but she hadn’t listened. She’d been totally engulfed in a feverish need to mate. “Russell, I—”
“Get some rest.” He tossed the empty bottle into a plastic bin. “We can talk when I wake up.” He strode to the far end of the cave where he’d left a blanket and pillow.
He wasn’t going to share the bed with her? Her heart sank.
“Goodnight.” He stretched out and closed his eyes.
Tears stung her eyes when his breathing stopped. “I’m so sorry.”
He had every right to be angry. He’d tried to stop her. He’d reminded her that she was engaged. And she had ignored his objections.
Rajiv would be angry, too. She’d have to explain to him that she didn’t care if her engagement fell through. She didn’t know the were-tiger prince. As far as she was concerned, he could jump in a lake.
But Russell . . . She walked over to him and adjusted his blanket. She did care about him. He was the one who believed in her, the one who filled her thoughts and pulled at her heart. It would kill her if she lost his friendship. Or lost his respect.
A tear rolled down her cheek. “Please don’t hate me. You’re my . . . my partner. My cowboy. I need you.” Her heart squeezed in her chest with a painful realization. She needed him to love her.
Because she loved him.
Chapter Nineteen
When Russell woke up that evening, he found Jia asleep in the bed, wearing one of his T-shirts. There were signs that she’d been busy during the day. His clothes and coat, which he’d left soaking in the stream, were washed and drying. All the laundry had been done, and the cave cleaned up.
He lit an oil lamp, then retrieved a bottle of blood from an ice chest. As he sipped his breakfast, he wandered over to the bed to watch her sleep. He wasn’t sure what to make of what had happened. It seemed like she’d been driven by some need beyond her control. Had death traumatized her to the point that she’d had to confirm her life by having sex? Why the sudden desire to rid herself of her virginity?
How on earth was he supposed to give her up now? He’d tried to resist her. He knew better than to sleep with a woman who was engaged. But in the end, his desire had won the battle. His love for her was greater than his sense of honor.
He guzzled down the rest of his bottle and dropped it into the plastic crate with the other empty bottles. There was a primitive caveman inside him that had urged him to take her and stake his claim, as if she’d been a prized possession. And that same caveman wanted to destroy any competition.
He took a deep breath and forced his mind out of caveman mode. Jia was a strong, independent woman, and he loved that about her. The fact that he couldn’t bear to give her up was his problem. All he could do was be honest with her and try to convince her that life with a penniless vampire would be better than living in a palace with a were-tiger prince.
Shit. He was so screwed.
Even so, falling in love with her had been the best thing to happen to him in years. It made him feel hopeful and alive, instead of dead and full of hate. But he wasn’t sure how she felt. Last night, she’d seemed desperate. For him? Or just for sex?
He heated up some water and took a hot shower. He wasn’t in any hurry to wake Jia up. Not when he was afraid of what he might hear. Besides, there was no point in hunting for Han tonight. He would remain hidden until tomorrow, when it was time to lead his troops into battle.
As Russell toweled off and dressed, he considered what to do with his brother. He needed to be alone with Markos so he could talk some sense into him. So the second he spotted Markos tomorrow night, he would teleport behind him, catching him by surprise so he could kidnap him.