Hot Blooded

long strokes that sent fiery friction whipping through both
of them.
    Night shadows hid them in the small grotto. The wind rustled in the canopy
overhead. Bats fluttered above the water, hitting insects just above the
surface. Raindrops splattered into the pool. Juliette inhaled the scents of the
night, the combined scent of man and woman. Her nails dug into Riordan's
shoulders and back as wave after wave of orgasm burst through her. He shared the
experience in her mind and the riptide of ecstasy coursing through her sent him
over the edge. Juliette, merged so completely with Riordan, felt the pressure
start deep in his core and explode through his body with the force of a
locomotive. They fed each other passion and heat, a firestorm of pleasure that
washed over and through them and left them breathless and clinging to one
another.
    Juliette fastened her mouth to his—hot, wet, hungry. She tried to crawl
inside of him, share the same body, the same mind. Kisses went from greedy lust
to slower, calmer, leisurely exploration, to long, lingering enjoyment. She
lifted her head and looked into his eyes. They stared at one another for a long
time, drinking each other in, falling into the depths of each other's eyes. "I
look at you and everything just comes together, Riordan. I don't know why, and I
don't think I want to question it too closely. I'm just going to take what fate
offered me and grab on with both hands."
    "You will never be sorry, Juliette," he promised, raining kisses over her
face, her eyes, down her neck and throat. "You will never be sorry."
    "I can feel your hunger now, the call inside you. It's a frightening thing.
How can you keep it at bay the way you do? If I felt like that, I would be
devouring something." She swept back his hair and slowly allowed her legs to
drop to the ground. "You have to get some nourishment. I don't mind, Riordan.
I'm not in the least bit hungry and the thought of food makes me want to gag,
but it's sort of sexy when you take my blood. I think I'm getting a bit kinky."
She looked around for her clothes, missing the look of wonderment on his face.
    He reached down to snag her blouse from where it had been carelessly tossed
aside. He didn't even remember stripping it off of her. "You are a very generous
woman, but I think I will refrain from the temptation of your blood." This time
he firmly buttoned the blouse. "You know I am going to think of your breasts
just waiting behind this very thin barrier. If I am distracted later, you will
know why."
    Juliette laughed. She couldn't remember being so happy. "That's all right,
you go ahead and think about my breasts. I'll be thinking of your very nicely
put together anatomy." She yanked her jeans on and deftly braided her hair. "How
much time do we have for traveling tonight?"
    He glanced at the sky. "A few hours. We should be able to cover many miles. I
will have to carry you, and that means I will have to find blood." He glanced
down at the terrible marks on his chest. "Carpathians heal in the ground and yet
I did not. I need to get back to full strength for the coming battle, and that
means I need to find people."
    She suddenly went still. "Not my sister or cousin." There was a warning note
in her voice.
    He grinned at her. "I do not think you have to worry. I would not risk your
wrath." He tugged playfully at her braid. "You sound so fierce."
    Juliette watched him clothe himself. It was done with a simple wave of his
hand as if he'd manufactured the clothes from thin air. His hair was neatly
brushed back away from his face and tied with a leather thong. There wasn't a
drop of water on him anywhere and his hair was dry. "Oh, that is cheating. Look
at me, I look like a drowned rat." She flipped her thick wet braid over her
shoulder. "I want to be able to do that."
    "You will," he assured. "Come here. We need to get started."
    "You aren't going to throw me over your shoulder like you did last time, are
you?" she asked suspiciously.
    He grinned at her, his teeth very white. "Well, I was thinking about it."
    "Refrain. Last time I considered getting sick all over you."
    "I am so glad you didn't." Riordan gathered her to him, holding her close,
and took to the air, shifting into his favorite form of a bird as he rose. It
was easier to fly above the canopy then to try to wind his way through the thick
branches and leaves. And he was wary of traps. They were nearing the area where
he had