Joshua was there. Mia felt his eyes even though he sat in the darkest corner, away from prying eyes. She had known the moment he had arrived, sensed his presence. He caressed her with those warm blue eyes of his, such adoration and affection! It thrilled the human heart within her.

The calculating monster within her realized he was under her spell. He saw only her perfection. The beast would have its revenge tonight – and Joshua would play his unwilling part. She would give to him what had been preserved for Prince Adrian. She would take her chosen human consort to her bed, make him take her virgin’s blood – and do some taking of her own. The very idea made her tremble with anticipation.

Mia ended her final set of the night and immediately went to where Joshua sat. She stood behind him to run her hands down his hard chest, her tongue along the shell of his ear.

“You nearly missed my performance altogether, my darling.”

Joshua shivered as she continued licking his ear. “I’m sorry, angel.”

How ironic he should call her angel! Her kind were direct descendants of hell itself.

She scraped her teeth along his delicious neck. Soon...Very soon…

He realized without words, she had decided to consummate their love that night. Her entire demeanor was demanding ‘take me’! He was only too willing to obey! She had captivated him since the night he saw her in the flesh.

She swung onto his lap, straddling his hard thighs. She had worn a shorter dress with daring slits to nearly her hips on either side. The men had drooled, but they all knew Mia was untouchable to anyone but her bedazzled lover. “What kept you?” she asked as she toyed with the medallion at his throat, his strong, tanned, delectable throat...

He smoothed her hair in a tender gesture. “ Ran later at the studio then I’d planned, then there was that party I promised to show for...” He sighed, “I wish you could have been with me.”

“I do have to earn my keep...”

He shook his head. “We’ve discussed that. No, you don’t. Come live with me. I’ll take care of you.”

“Joshua...”

“I know. It’s too soon for you.”

Perhaps in time...”I missed you,” she pouted prettily. “I always miss you when I don’t see you.”

“And I miss my pretty little baby,” he assured her. He tenderly cupped her face, drawing her close for a lingering kiss.

His mouth was magic – mobile, aggressive as it was gentle, generously giving while stealing her breath. She could get lost in his kiss. She’d never known a mere kiss could be so very powerful, so seductive, so...much! Her head dropped back when his mouth left hers to nip and suck at her throat. A little whimper escaped her. Yes! Both human and demon wanted this!

Joshua slid his hands beneath her skirt. Sliding up her thighs, they rested on the silky twin globes of her buttocks. No hosiery would impede his progress there. She wore only the briefest thong.

“Oh, yes, darling!” she whispered, answering the question he’d yet to ask.

“Are you sure, Mia? I can wait if you need more time.”

“I don’t need time. I need you. All of you – heart, body, and soul. I need you to be my lover.” She nipped at the pulse beat at his throat seductively. “Please, darling.”

“You don’t have to beg, angel. I want that too.”

“Then, please...”

Setting her to her feet, Joshua rose. Taking her hand, he wound his way through the tables of the dark, smoky club until they reached the back stairs. He hated her living in a windowless cellar. A woman like Mia deserved better – she deserved the best. Her pride kept her from accepting his offer to improve her lot. Maybe once they were lovers...

At her door, he backed her up against the door and kissed the very breath from her lungs. “Last chance, angel. I know you’re a virgin and I don’t know how gentle I can be,” he told her truthfully.

She reached around his neck, taking his mouth ravenously. “Oh, yes, Joshua! I want us to share ourselves completely.”

Letting them into her dingy, little room, he quickly locked the door between them and the rest of the world. The bed covers were turned back on her meager twin bed and candles were strategically placed around the room. She had set the stage for lovers.

“Planning this?” he teased gently.

“I knew I couldn’t wait any longer.” Mia moved around the room, lighting the chunky candles with a lighter. “No other man has ever made me want him like this,” she confessed.

Joshua flipped off the overhead light and the room was bathed in a flickering, intimate glow. “Believe me, I’ve never felt this way about another woman.” When she went to light the candle on the bedside stand, he came up behind her, cupping her breasts in knowing hands. He squeezed them gently, feeling her peaking nipples through the thin fabric of her sexy dress.

She dropped her head back to his shoulder. “My love...” She reached behind her to squeeze his hardened manhood, making him groan. “So big...so hard...” she purred.

“It’s gonna hurt the first time,” he warned. Mia was small. She would be tight. One hand dropped to move beneath her dress. He pulled the front panel of her thong aside. She was so wonderfully hot and wet!

“It will be a most delicious pain, my darling.” She turned within his arms.

Suddenly, Mia changed from his beguiling girl to a wicked seductress. Making quick work of the buttons of his shirt, she yanked the tails from his pants, then shoved the shirt from his broad shoulders. With the knowledge of seduction throughout the ages at her disposal, she knew exactly where a man wanted to be touched, kissed and licked.

Joshua couldn’t believe his innocent Mia knew all of his hot spots. She was making him insane with her talented little mouth.

Guided by lustful instinct, Mia teased his ears and neck with licks and nips. She could feel the accelerated throb of his pulse above his lion medallion against her lips, smell the heady fragrance of his untainted blood beneath his skin. Her mouth traveled lower, swirling her tongue around one flat male nipple until it peaked, nibbling and sucking hungrily before feasting on the other.

Joshua’s head dropped back as he moaned his pleasure. Damn, he had expected a shy virgin –not a vixen!

Her hands made quick work of his jeans.

“Baby, the shoes come off first,” he reminded her breathlessly.

Kneeling at his feet, she rid him of footwear and jeans and sports shorts. Once he was naked, she took his rampant, hard member into her mouth.

“God, Mia!” he cried when she expertly relieved him of his first load.

Moving to her feet, she reached to the back of her dress and lowered the zipper, she let the dress drop to the floor, leaving her standing before him in only her thong.

“You’re so damned beautiful, baby.”

“Do you wish to claim me as yours, Joshua?” she demanded in a low, husky voice he barely recognized. Her eyes were a strange color – the coppery color he had seen on cats. He was drawn to those eyes.

“Yes!” he answered desperately, mesmerized.

“Then come take me,” she urged as she lay back on the bed, her legs wantonly open.

“That’s not the way it’s done,” he told her as he moved above her on the bed, holding himself off her with knees and forearms. “I’m not just gonna drill you.”

Her eyes faded to amber once more. “You—you’re not?”

“No, angel, I want this to be so good for you that you’ll want me to love you again and again.” His smile was tender as the kiss he pressed on her surprised lips.

Mia gave a tremulous smile. “Oh...”

Joshua set about worshiping her with his mouth and hands until she as writhing beneath him. He stripped away the thong to lower his head between her thighs. “No, darling,” she commanded. “Later.”

“Shy, angel?” He rose above her once more, his throbbing shaft, nesting at the entrance of its haven.

Mia knew she had to make him willingly taste her virgin’s blood. It was something most human males resisted. With one taste, he would discover her nectar and gladly take the rest. The nectar Lilith had preserved for Prince Adrian. By giving this to Joshua, Mia defied the Kindred. “Take me,” she whispered fiercely as she held him close, his face pressed in the curve of her neck. “Now!”

One thrust through her maidenhead and the room was filled with a cacophony of sound. Mia’s scream of agony as if she had been impaled. An angry male howl of protest. A woman’s tearful lament. A host of screaming banshees. A foul gust of wind blew out the candles, leaving the lovers in total darkness. And finally, Mia’s soft sob of pain. After a moment, all sounds faded and the only thing heard was her tears and their harsh breathing.

“Mia?” Joshua was at a lost to put a name to what had happened.

“Taste me, Joshua.” Mia’s eyes were a dim copper color in the darkness. She took some of her virgin’s blood and smeared it on his lower lip.

“Mia...”

“Please, darling. One small taste is all I ask.”

He swept his tongue along his lips. “Mmm...” Strangely enough, he didn’t taste blood. It was almost like rich full-bodied wine.

“More?”

“Sure, baby.” Joshua moved down her body, his head between her trembling thighs. With no light to guide him, he made a sensual foray, tasting and soothing her.

“Joshua...” she whimpered helplessly at his relentless onslaught. As he continued, the woman in her experienced her first ultimate pleasure. “Joshua!” she cried out.

Moving back up her body, the thrust deep and held himself inside her until she relaxed. Then he rocked into her slowly. She responded by lifting her hips to his, letting him know how much he enjoyed this mating. This was for the human in her. The monster would have her moment.

“Better?” he asked, nuzzling her.

“Oh, yes, darling, wonderful!”

He could feel her smile against his neck. “You don’t have to go alone this time.”

“A—alone?”

“To Heaven, angel. I’m taking you home.”

She wanted to protest but at that moment a tidal wave of bliss swept her away. “Ah!”

“Right behind you, baby!” At that ultimate peak, he also experienced ultimate pain as teeth tore his flesh. “No!”

Warm ambrosia flowed from his veins to her lips. Was there ever a more perfect flavor? Careful not to be greedy this first time, Mia pulled back and sealed the wound. Digging a sharp fingernail across her collarbone, she held his lips to the gash. “Take from me as I have taken from you, my love,” she murmured soothing, stroking his hair.

Not knowing why, he did lick at her blood briefly.

It was all a bizarre dream, Joshua decided when he woke later with Mia curled trustingly in his arms. Those things couldn’t have happened, yet he traced the ragged wound at his neck – what was that about?

The irony made him want to laugh and cry at the same time. The guy who hated needles and sharp objects loved a girl who believed herself to be a vampire. JC gingerly touched the wound her passion had left on his neck again. Had he merely imagined some of the bizarre things they had done to each other the previous night? Surely, he wouldn’t have done those things, tasting her virgin blood, lapping up blood flowing from her self-inflicted wound. Then there had been those howls of rage as he possessed her...

Mia woke to the feel of her new consort behind her in the narrow bed. Joshua...his blood made her strong – like she had never imagined. She had been able to defy Lilith and Prince Adrian and choose a human lover. She had still been able to experience human passion.

“Morning, baby.” Joshua purred against the back of her neck, his tongue tracing the sweet spot he’d discovered there.

“Good morning, my darling.”

“I thought you might sleep longer.”

“Mmm...I might have if this wonderful warm male body wasn’t pressed against me.” She turned to face him. “And such a wonderful body it is,” she said with a soft smile.

He laid a hand on her face. Lifting her face to his. “I want you again, Mia.”

“I am yours, Joshua,” she assured him. “We are forever.”