Kade's Dark Embrace

Chapter Nineteen

Sydney slowly opened her eyes to a candlelit room. Kade’s room? Peering up, she noticed the intricate carving of the dark, stained mahogany on the ceiling of the king-sized, four poster, Tutor, sixteenth century bed. Luxurious, black, velvet curtains were tied to the elaborately patterned posts, held back by red, silk tiebacks with tassels. Nice bed, Kade. She smiled and turned her head toward the center of the bed where Kade slept soundly on his side with his hand possessively touching her stomach.

She was moving to get out of bed when Kade pulled her into his arms and rested her head against his chest. “Now exactly where do you think you are going, love?” He kissed her soft hair. “How are you feeling?”

Sydney vividly remembered her last vision before blacking out...blood spraying profusely as Simone’s head flew off her shoulders clear across the room. She shuddered thinking about the torture she’d endured but felt strangely rejuvenated. “I don’t know, Kade. It’s weird. All that’s happened...but I feel energized...as if I hadn’t been beaten and stabbed to a wooden table by some crazy vampire bitch. Seriously, though, I feel great: no bruises, no soreness. I take it you gave me your blood? Pretty potent stuff, huh? Hey, do I need to worry about turning into a vampire?” she teased. She nuzzled into his chest taking a deep breath of his masculine scent.

“No, love, you are not a vampire. You would have to essentially lose every last drop of blood and then have me replace it with mine. But Sydney...we are bonded now. You have taken my blood. I wanted it to be special, but it is done.” Kade sighed.

“I know you asked me before you gave me your blood, and I really do appreciate that, given we exchanged bodily fluids and all, but Kade...what do you exactly mean by bonded?” Sydney questioned.

Kade hugged her even tighter, hoping she wouldn’t fly off the bed once she understood what it meant. “You are mine, Sydney. I am yours. When we made love before, I bit you. Your blood runs through my veins. And now, my blood has been introduced into your human body. We are formally bonded for eternity. I will always know where you are and be able to sense you. As our bond becomes stronger, you and I will be able to speak telepathically like I can with the others. And as long as you continue to take my blood, you will not age. We are linked.” He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. “I want you to stay with me, Sydney. Here with me in New Orleans. You belong to me now.”

A rush of emotion flooded Sydney’s mind. She felt as though she could deal with being linked to Kade. She’d never loved anyone the way she loved him. He made her feel womanly, empowered, and erotic all at once. He fought with his life to save her, never giving up on her. He was everything to Sydney. After so many years of frivolous sex and meaningless relationships, Kade filled her soul, captivating both her mind and body. She wanted to submit to him. To give herself over to him, becoming one heart with his. But seeds of doubt grew in the pit of her stomach. He didn’t say he wanted to marry her. He said he wanted her to move in with him.

And for eternity? What about her job? She worked so hard over the years to make it through the ranks to where she was in her division, and now he expected her to give up everything on a whim and move down here? And what about the children’s center? How could she just leave the kids and give up all the work she’d done at the center? And her condo...was she just supposed to abandon it? As much as Sydney wanted to think with her heart, her mind was jolting her back into reality.

Sydney kissed his chest. “Kade, you know I love you, but I have commitments back at home and my job and....”

He pressed his lips to hers, stifling any rejection she might give him. “Sydney love, you will stay here with me. All the things you mention are minor details...we will work it out. Now come...come to me. Let me show you how much I love you.” Reclaiming her lips, they engaged in a long, drugging kiss. His tongue darted into her hot mouth, seeking her essence of love. Their tongues danced in a hungry, intoxicating act of passion.

Kade slid his hand across the healed, smooth skin of her stomach until he found what he sought, gently cupping and kneading her warm, heavy mounds. He deliberately chose to be gentle with Sydney, acutely aware of the trauma she’d been through in the past week. Although her physical wounds healed overnight, it would be a long time before either of them forgot the evil they’d faced and defeated. As he kissed her, he reveled in her strength and beauty. This woman, his woman, she was everything in life: his warrior mate, his friend, his lover.

Sydney squirmed under him impatiently awaiting his next touch. Her skin tingled with anticipation knowing he was capable of providing her immeasurable pleasure. She let her hands explore the hard smoothness of his chest. Ripping her mouth from his, she licked her tongue across the hollow of his neck and bit down on the flesh of his shoulder. He growled in ecstasy. His girl liked to bite? She laughed in response gliding her tongue down his muscled flesh, licking and sucking his nipple.

Releasing one of her breasts, Kade allowed his hand to delve into the slick, wet heat of her sex. Sydney sucked in a startled breath as she felt a finger slip into the center of her core. She bucked into the rhythmic intrusion, needing more. “Please, Kade. Yes. That feels so good.” Responding to her erotic desire, Kade pumped another finger into her while circling her hidden, delicate bud. With quickening gasps, Sydney arched toward his hand as she spiraled hopelessly into orgasm, shattering in a million pleasurable pieces. Screaming Kade’s name repeatedly, Sydney curled into him quivering in his arms.

“Sydney, you are the most incredible, fascinating woman I have known in all my years: so responsive, so soft. I love you so much” Kade gently rolled her onto her back, straddled her and held her arms down with his strong hands. “Look at me Sydney. Watch me love you.” Dipping his head, he captured a rosy, hardened tip in his mouth, gently taking it between his teeth. She moaned as he alternately bit and laved her hard peaks driving her mad with need.

“Kade, I can’t take it anymore. Please. I need you...in me now.”

Kade smiled and kissed the pink point one more time before settling himself at her entrance. “Sydney love, look in my eyes. I want you to see the pleasure you bring me. I want to look into your soul as we join as one.”

Releasing her arms, Kade shifted the weight of his body, supporting his hands on the bed, and Sydney opened her thighs wide inviting him into her. Frantic with desire, Sydney lifted her hips up to Kade moving to accept him. Kade groaned in blinding delight as he slid his rock hard length into her warmth. He moved slowly letting her stretch to accommodate his throbbing shaft.

Sydney gazed into the depths of Kade’s eyes acknowledging the love in every thrust. “I love you, Kade,” she whispered. He smiled as he continued to plunge in and out of her, increasing the pace, building the sexual tension. The slick heat of her center massaged his manhood as he leaned into kiss her swollen lips.

Sensing the nearness of her climax, Sydney lightly circled her hips into him, stimulating her most tender flesh. She was quickly losing control. “Kade, yes, Kade, I’m coming. Don’t stop. Yes, please.”

“I’m here love. I want to watch you as you come. You are beautiful. Come for me now,” he commanded.

At his direction, the crescendo rose to the edge of ecstasy. “Fuck yes, Kade. Oh my God. I’m coming! I’m coming! Yes! Yes!” Sydney rocked frantically against him as she milked his manhood.

As her moist center convulsed, making it impossible for him to hold back, Kade sank his fangs into the soft flesh of her neck. Thrusting deeply into her one last time, he exploded inside her as pulsating waves of pleasure washed over him. Mine. “Ah yes! Sydney! I love you.”

Kade fell back into the bed off of Sydney, rolling her with him so she lay upon his chest once again. He would never let her go. She would stay here and build a future with him. He knew she was worried about her job, but he would get her one here if that’s what she wanted. Kade would spare no expense making sure she had everything she needed to stay.

Sydney fought back the tears, overwhelmed by the emotions from making love with Kade. God she loved him. He was everything she could ever want in a man: masculine, honorable, sexy, and intelligent. She’d never met a man like him before in her life and was pretty sure she’d never meet another. Kade made her feel loved, desired, wanted. Hell, he made her feel, period. It had been years since she dated anyone more than a month, let alone someone who made her consider moving hundreds of miles away to live with him.

But give up her entire life for a man she met less than a week ago? Could she really just move all her stuff down here not knowing if they had a real commitment? It was true that she had bonded with him, but as a human, she still wasn’t exactly sure of the implications. It wasn’t as if he had asked her to marry him. No, he only said that he wanted her to move in with him. As much as she was tempted to tell him ‘yes’ right away, she had responsibilities waiting for her at home: her job, the center, friends, a life. Okay, so she didn’t have that many friends or family, but still, it was her life.

What was she thinking? How could she have let herself get so involved with someone...on a case, no less? Someone she worked with? Not only did she get involved with him, she was deeply and utterly in love with this man, this vampire. If she left New Orleans, how could she live without him? It would break her heart beyond belief to let him go. She just needed to think about what to do and how to make it work. She’d been held up here in this dark, fantasy world for days. She knew life and death situations had a way of skewing one’s perspective. If she could just get some fresh air...maybe a Philly cheesesteak...back to the office, she’d be able to make a decision with a clear head.

Sydney needed space before he saw her tears. “Kade,” she whispered, “I need to take a shower.”

“Okay, love. You sure you don’t want me to join you?”

“I would love you to, but I really think I just need to take a nice, relaxing bath. You know...decompress after the past few days.”

“As much as I would like to wait for you, I really should get downstairs to help Luca. The woman in the cell...she needs to be questioned.”

“Samantha?”

“Rhea? Samantha? I’m not sure what her real name is, but we need to find out before we release her.”

“Kade, I was in that cell with her. Now granted, I couldn't read her facial expressions, but her story rang true with me. I didn’t even recognize her as Rhea. I mean, how will you know the truth?”

“It shouldn’t be hard. I will scan her mind. See if she shows any signs of deception. I called Ilsbeth over here to see if she has been bespelled. It is possible Asgear put a spell on her that could enable deception. Even though he is dead, Jane Doe down there may still harbor dark magic. If Ilsbeth senses any magic, she will take her to the coven to be cleared of spells and blessed. We cannot be too careful considering Asgear may have schooled others in his dark ways.”

“Others?” Sydney shivered at the possibility that Asgear spawned other mages.

“I sense your fear, Sydney. I would tell you not to worry, but you and I both know the truth of the situation. All I can say is that supernaturals sometimes are not all that different from humans. Evil has no boundaries. And you and I...we both seek justice, albeit in very different worlds.”

“Yes. Crime is everywhere, that’s for sure. Well, I hope Samantha is okay.” There is crime waiting for me back in Philadelphia. Not wanting to end their time thinking of leaving, she kissed Kade, savoring his warmth once more. She knew what she had to do. She also knew he’d be really pissed, more like infuriated, but she needed to clear her head. Not looking back, tears pricked at her eyes as she scurried off to the shower.