Carpathian 03 - Dark Gold

could not have untruth between them. As much as he wanted to spare her the truth, he could not. Aidan shook his head, but the dawning comprehension was already in her mind. Alexandria moaned and covered her face with both hands. "I'm not like this. I don't respond to men this way, I don't drink blood, and I am not a tease. What have you done to me?
    It's even worse than I thought. I'm some kind of vampire nymphomaniac." She attempted to pull herself out of his arms, but Aidan tightened his hold on her.
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    "Be calm, cara . Breathe your way through this. There is a rational explanation." Everything in him wanted to throw her to the floor of the balcony, claim what was rightfully his, and once and for all put himself out of a living hell. But he could not do that to her. Her outrageous thought, vampire nymphomaniac , nearly made him smile. It certainly turned his heart over, even while his self-control was in savage, relentless meltdown.
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    Alexandria was very aware of the restraint he was showing, of how hard he was fighting his natural instincts, his belief in his right to have her. She swallowed hard and stayed very still, not wanting to enflame him further. She was trembling, fighting her own needs and desires, feelings she had never experienced. Why for him? Why did it have to be for him that she burned and needed? She drank his blood willingly. She drank it and wanted more, wanted to give herself to him, wanted him to touch her, to possess her, wanted to touch him . She groaned again, humiliated. She could never face him again as long as she lived. And, for God's sake, he had some pretty vivid and explicit pictures in his head, too. His intentions toward her were anything but avuncular. Aidan Savage wanted with her a desire, a hunger so beyond anything human, she could barely conceive of it.
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    "You are shaking, piccola ," he pointed out softly, his breathing a little more ragged than he would have liked. He wanted to keep her right where she was. If he allowed her to run now, he would lose valuable ground. His hand moved over her silky hair in a soothing gesture. "We are both all right. Nothing happened."
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    "What do you mean, nothing happened?" she demanded. "I drank your blood." The very thought of it now made her sick, and her stomach lurched convulsively. She had wanted to do it, needed to, and her hunger was sated for the time being, but her body was alive with need.
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    "I told you there were ways. You have no need to worry you will harm Joshua. I will see to all your requirements. It is my right." His voice softened to velvet. "It is my privilege." His hand found her throat, settled there possessively, her pulse beating frantically into his palm. The edges of her sweater were still parted, revealing the enticing swell of her full breasts. Alexandria didn't seem to be aware of it, still so shocked at her wanton behavior and her feeding on Aidan's blood that she couldn't think of anything else. The sight of her was not helping to cool his hot blood. He had a sudden desire to crush her to him, to bury his teeth in her, and drag her fully, kicking and screaming, into his life.
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    Alexandria carefully avoided looking down into his lap. His masculine body was exposed to the night, hard and thick, with no apologies. Unlike her, Aidan didn't appear in the least embarrassed. In fact, it was obvious he felt he had a right to her. She stared up at the stars pushing their way through the scattered wisps of clouds. The night was beautiful and calming. The feel of his hand wrapped around her throat should have frightened her, but instead she felt cherished.
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    Alexandria moistened her lips. None of her emotions, so intense, were characteristic of her. "Are you certain you didn't direct my actions?"

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    "You are my lifemate, Alexandria. Your mind and body recognize me as such. The bond between us will only grow, as will the need. Such is the way of our people. It is probably a protection for our longevity. Rather than paling over time, our sexual need for each other gets stronger. There will come a time when we must give in, or the consequences will be dire." He tried to choose his words carefully, yet still be honest.
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    She picked the image out of his mind, blushing furiously. "Violence? We would come together in violence? I don't have experience—we've already established that—and I'm not even certain I like