Touched

"I've never been afraid of them. Not once.

Because I had you."

~Katrina

***

Luciano looked down at his hand in a daze. He could still feel Katrina's warm skin beneath his palm, smell her scent around him, see the spark of anger in her beautiful honey gold eyes. He felt his chest constrict at her cold tone, the one she used when she was pissed. He thought back on why he'd said those things, things he hadn't even meant but said for no other reason than to gain a reaction from her.

Luciano groaned, frustrated. He couldn't help himself when he was around her, especially after watching hours of her dancing with other males. His whole body trembled in anger and he fought against it, never having felt this way before. 'Okay.' That was a lie. He'd felt this way every time a male looked in her direction, but not only had he hidden it better once upon a time, but he'd also never felt the rage with such intensity before. Everything was different now.

Sensing Natasha heading in his direction, Luciano's eyes narrowed through the moving bodies, confirming that she was moving his way, he blurred with speed stepping out into the large patio. Happy to have dodged her, relief coursed through his veins. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes as his body exploded. For a second Luciano was thousands of particles, moving swiftly and cohesively through the air. Within seconds his body reappeared. His eyes snapped open, silver rimmed glow surrounded his irises. A wide grin spread across his face thinking of Natasha's outraged expression when she found him missing. He walked through the familiar second floor hallway leading up to a set of large double balcony doors.

As he stood there lost in thought, he realized how nostalgic this place was to him. After all, Katrina had always been too predictable in her hiding places. Up ahead a large alcove overlooking the gardens of the Grand hall opened up. Dozens of rooms lined the hallways and were divided by the massive balcony. Most attendees wouldn't venture upstairs while the grand ball was in full swing so he didn't worry he'd be found. He'd usually find her here when she was tired of the smooching and mingling.

He leaned against the door frame of the balcony doors. His chest ached at the sight. 'Katrina.' Her naked back was to him as she sat on the railing of the stone balcony. She leaned back, gazing up at the full moon. Luciano's gaze moved over her, jealous of the way the moonlight touched her skin.

Katrina seemed to be deep in thought as they stood quietly in silence. There was no doubt in his mind that she was aware of his presence. A cool wind blew by, ruffling the tendrils of curled hair that fell from her head. She let out a sigh and without turning broke the silence. "I don't want to fight." Her voice was tired, as if she had no energy left for the words. His gaze softened.

"Then give in." He let his hair fall before his eyes, embarrassed as he openly gazed at her naked skin. The beautiful arch of her spine called out to him.

"You're incorrigible. Shouldn't you be downstairs making your rounds? Females everywhere are looking for the hottest piece of ass to stare at." He brushed it off, her sarcasm wouldn't affect him tonight. He knew it was her way of protecting herself, it was also how he handled their entire relationship.

"They can wait till I'm done." Luciano was beside her a second later. His hands leaned against the same railing she sat on, inches away from her. She hadn't moved from her spot, much less looked at him. "You're dismissed." Luciano let out a hard breath, glaring at her. "You're extra prickly today Cookie." Katrina hissed in his direction, speaking through her teeth. "I am not in the mood to play games tonight. Thank you for the company but I'd like to be alone." Her eyes never met his as they moved back to gaze into the gardens. His head tilted, he reached for her hand, sensing she needed comfort.

Katrina hissed the second his skin touched hers, jerking back, as lust burst like a whiplash at the unexpected touch. Luciano straightened, seriously pissed now. "Are you kidding me! You've been avoiding me for months, you won't speak to me when I arrive but you get furious when I'm with another woman. You allow every fucking male in attendance to put their talons on you like you're the last drop of blood on the fucking planet but it's my touch that repulses you?!" His breathing was rough, choppy and uneven with fury. "What the hell is your problem?" Katrina tensed. His anger was palpable in the air around her, it touched her like fire, setting her vampire on edge.

"Nothing. Not a goddamn thing is my problem! Is that all—" Katrina's mocking reply infuriated Luciano.

"That's enough! Dammit, Katrina! Talk to me—

I've been patient. I've given you time to come to me with what's been bothering you. It's obviously not nothing, so let's have it. What the fuck is it?" Katrina stood in front of him, getting in his face before he even saw her move. An impossibility. Her anger hit him like a heatwave, the air between them grew tense, tight, blistering. The vampire in his mind shifted, sensing danger, but mostly aching to put its hands on her.

Katrina felt her body shaking, could feel fury rattling her every sense until all she could see were his stupid, gorgeous silver, grey eyes. Ignoring the ache in her chest, she tightened her core, lifted her shoulders and chin up to meet his gaze defiantly.

"You want to know what my problem is? Fine-You parade your trash before me and our entire court and you expect me to just smile and invite them to tea! You ignore me the entire evening and I'm just supposed to fall on your lap when you call?! For God's sake, Luciano! Regardless of what people may think around here, I'm a woman! Not your fucking groupie, you arrogant, cock-sucking-mother-fu—" Luciano's hands snaked into her hair, dragging her upwards and slamming his mouth onto hers before she could finish the thought, his body shook, trembling with the force of his rage, equal parts lust, a dangerous double edged sword.

His conscious thought shattered as her lips moved against his. The taste of her filled him, fueled his beast, ignited a burn in the pit of his soul that he'd never felt. He was acutely aware of every curve, scent and feel of Katrina. She tasted like a warm cookie dripping with melted chocolate. 'My Cookie.' The thought fluttered through his mind as, he groaned into her mouth, thrusting his tongue inside her, against hers, devouring her taste, dragging a hand around her waist, he hoisted her up against his body tighter.

Thankful she didn't need oxygen, she moved her mouth greedily against his. Her every sense electric, as if her wires had been jammed into a light socket. 'Luciano.' She thought madly, There had only ever been Luciano for her. Thousands of reasons clamor at her conscious as to why she shouldn't be kissing him, so many reasons... but she shut them away and let herself forget. Lifting on her tiptoes, Katrina pushed back against him, unwilling to let him dominate her so easily. She groaned as he thrust her back into a wall in response. The cold stone at her back elicited a surprised gasp, her fangs elongated, throbbing with blinding thirst. Her body burned alive, heated, overwhelming her, leaving her needy.

Luciano pressed his lips against hers as he spoke. "I know you're a fucking woman." Kiss. "Because, I can't get the naked image of you out of my mind. I can't get the taste of you off my tongue...." He groaned against her mouth, his tongue teasing her lower lip. Her small intake of breath making him shudder. "The scent of you faded but I feel you everywhere.... I see you everywhere." He kissed her again, hard, drawing out her breath, running his tongue over her sharp fangs.

Luciano brushed past her lips, moving lower over the arch of her neck. "Have you noticed I'm a male, Katrina?" A grin pulled at the corner of his lips at her heavy breaths, her trembling body and the pulsing race of her blood beating beneath her skin. The fangs she couldn't keep from extending tempted the beast in him. She couldn't deny the way her body reacted to him, she was helpless beneath the onslaught of his experienced touch.

Watching her unravel rocked him back on his heels, his knees trembling at the sight of a lust filled, wanton Katrina. A side he'd never seen, and how easily and innocently she undid him. No matter how much he tried to hold back, the words spilled out of him unwillingly,

"I'm a hot blooded male, who wants to fuck you, the spoiled princess. I want to fuck you until you can't see anything but the shades of my eyes. I want to fuck you until you forget your own name, until all you can feel is me." He growled into her ear, rubbing his hips against her stomach. Katrina cried out as the rock hard proof rubbing against her, paired with his heated words, broke something in her mind. His hands greedily roamed her body, one hand pulling her head to the side as he nibbled on the skin of her shoulders.

"I've done as you asked... I've left you alone, given you space. Tried to pretend everything was the same, but you—you walk in here with this fucking dress, tease me and then you antagonize me! As if, I'm the one who's done wrong when I'm only doing as you asked. You behave like a fucking child!" Luciano pressed a strong hand to the arch of her hip. Her body soft, yielding, hot and all his.

'His.'

The possessive heat of the thought shocked him. He pressed his forehead to hers, felt his whole world unraveling at her feet, his anger simmered beneath the surface. Luciano struggled to control himself, not wanting to hurt her.

Thinking along those same lines, Katrina closed her eyes, unwilling to look up at him with the burning behind her eyelids. Everything in her body lit up, unfiltered joy rushed through her, setting her on edge and only the tight bonds of her mental barriers kept the massive energy in check as it railed against her emotional state. She took a deep breath, braced herself and opened her eyes. His grey eyes glowed silver and were clouded. Maybe just as troubled as she felt.

Some part of Katrina wanted to fight it, wanted to fight the torrent of heat inside her, to listen to the countless reasons she shouldn't get closer to him... but she'd spent so long wondering what it would be like to simply be held by him, spent centuries waiting to know his touch. Ironic that his emotions now filtered through her barriers, his lust surrounded her senses, engulfing her, suffocating her in its heated embrace.

But it's not love.

The bitter sweet knowledge made the ache in her chest tighten.

She groaned as a hand slid up from her waist, running up the center of her body between the valley of her breasts. Even above the dress his touch left behind a burning on her skin. A heated imprint of his essence. He might as well have been touching skin.

'One night.' She would make the best of it.

Luciano groaned at the look in her eyes. Lost, vulnerable, open to his taking. There was a split second of indecision between the two of them, the kind where a person must make a decision between going past the point of no return or pulling back- and then the world exploded. He swept her back up into a blistering kiss and in seconds they're tumbling through the air as he materialized them to his rooms. Katrina's body jolted forward onto the ground, her knees shaky, the unexpected shift of location leaving her out of sorts. The energy inside her swirled and simmered in anticipation.

"Stand."

Katrina's heart raced, her pulse thundering in her veins as she took in Luciano's dead serious expression. There was something incredibly sexy about the way he looked at her right now. Intense. Determined. But it was the edge in his expression, the tightness of his jaw and features, that gave her a giddy thrill. She paused for a moment before standing in front of him nervously.

She swallowed hard, sensing a shift in the air as if she'd just unleashed a monster. A very hungry monster. And she was about to be devoured whole. She shivered uncontrollably at the image of him biting her, sinking his viciously white fangs into the tender flesh of her skin. The image of him marking her, possessing her, branding her, filled her mind and taunted her. All the things she'd fantasized for decades but could never have. Until now.

Luciano stood before her, the virile, mouthwateringly gorgeous, Alpha male that he was. His eyes were shrouded as they roamed over her body. She pressed her hands against her stomach, tense. She didn't want his caution or reserve. She wanted it all. For this one night, she wanted all of him. She wanted everything he had to give and more.

The hunger in his eyes was obvious, the desire in them clear as if written in ink. Katrina could sense the darkness of his vampire shift forward in that gaze, interested and aroused. And for the first time, in a long time, she felt alive.

He made her feel feminine and desirable. Normal.

He made her feel beautiful.

***

Luciano stood frozen as Katrina's mesmerizing yellow-gold eyes watched him nervously. As if he could ever reject her. The black lace dress fit her to perfection, dropped perfectly over every curve of her body. She looked delicate and exquisite, a very distinguished lady. "god! Katrina..." Her name came out a harsh whisper, rushing out in a forceful exhalation of his breath. His eyes burned, a quick and sudden fire that melted her insides.

"Take it off." Katrina turned around, her face flooded in heat as she gave him her back. "I need a little help." Her hoarse whisper fueled the fire in his veins, her blatant challenge thrilled the darkness inside him. A nano-second later, he was running his finger tips over the arch of her naked spine, reaching up to undo the buttons at the top of her gown. He used his fingertips to brush the sleeves off of her shoulders. One palm flat as it slid down her back to the low buttons over her ass.

A moment later, the dress pooled around her feet. Katrina shivered against the heat behind her, swallowed hard and turned to face him. His eyes moved openly over every curve of her body, she had the sudden urge to cover herself. Vampires weren't shy creatures and she was by no means modest, but the intensity in his eyes made her feel like a ball of nerves counting down to detonation. He made her feel more human than she had a right to feel.

"Exquisite." Luciano whispered, seeming to speak to himself. His gaze landed on her light brown colored nipples. Her large breasts were perky and stood proud, begging for his attention. He looked over her perfectly toned, hairless body and god was he was hungry. "I won't be gentle. Can't." The throaty words made Katrina tremble. She reached up to undo his tie, slipping it off him in a blink. Pushing his jacket back and undoing the buttons of his shirt in the next second. Her eyes roamed greedily at every ripped muscle in his chest and torso. His hairless skin made her mouth water.

"Then don't be."

Katrina felt the air heavy with his intoxicating scent. His massive body shielded her from the rest of the room, she only saw him. Her eyelids fluttered, sensing the flow of energy in the room shift in his direction. Her eyes glowed and her vision expanded, the beautiful glow of his soul was a living flame before her. It roared, called out to her like a siren's song singing through it's heat. She felt dazed by its intensity and within seconds the damn broke.

Luciano pushed her back and his mouth covered hers. His tongue penetrated her mouth, searching, claiming. The energy inside her buzzing like thousands of bees living inside her, she fought for breath. Her hands moved up to wrap in his hair. "Luciano." She gasped. She felt his hands work their way up into her hair, pulling at the pins holding it in place releasing her hair in a tumble of curls. Luciano groaned. His hands flattened and moved down to her ass, palming the thick orbs, lifting her as her legs wrapped around him.

She wanted him like she'd never wanted anything before, his kisses made her mind fog over. Luciano pulled slightly away from her, just enough for her to raise fingers to her lips. They came away wet and she glanced down, not at all surprised to see blood.

He'd bitten her.

Somehow she understood that he hadn't meant to do it. But there it was. His teeth had pierced flesh. And now, as she gazed back up at him and saw the monstrous hunger blazing in his eyes, sensed it racing through his tall, strong body, she realized something else as well.

The monster in Luciano wanted to devour her. And she wanted the same.

**

Luciano ached. Every inch of skin burned as the taste of her blood flooded his taste buds. His mind couldn't process anything other than the feel of her tongue against his, the feel of her ass against his hands and the way her body burned at his touch. He smiled as he threw her forward, her body sailed through the air and smashed against the bed. She squeaked, her body arching. A second later, now completely naked, he stood at the edge of the bed.

'Holy Fuck.'

All coherent though but those two words fled from Katrina's mind. Her lips parted and her breath hitched. The sight of him before her filled her with an unbearable yearning. It also terrified her. Her eyes widened when they slid downward to find the rock-hard evidence of what she'd done to him so far. A tremor of trepidation rushed through her. He was huge. Luciano's response was another wicked smile in response.

And then he was on her. She barely saw him coming. His body blurred before her, his hands grasped her firmly and before she could blink he was straddling her on the bed. She inhaled a surprised gasp and stared up at him through wide eyes. He loomed over her, his fangs bared. His muscles pressed threateningly, promisingly against her and his dirty blonde hair was damp against his forehead and cheeks. He was breathtaking. Something out of her wildest fantasies.

Luciano stilled above her, and she was transfixed by the hard angles of stark need in his beautiful face. His incisors had extended, sharp, dangerous evidence of the lethal predator he was. He opened his eyes and Katrina gasped. They burned silver, scorching her to her core. She could feel her pulse run through her body, the ache beating between her legs in tune with the rapid thud of her heart. The mark at her thigh throbbed in desire.

One of his strong hands unexpectedly captured both of her slender wrists and pinned them above her head. She thought about fighting him just for fun, but abstained. She had waited long enough for him, she would wait no longer. Katrina would take what she desired with no regret. He chuckled above her, the sound sending tempting vibrations through her body from their point of contact at her hips.

Katrina gasped and moaned, as moisture gathered between her legs, further dampening her pussy, and her nipples hardened almost painfully. His hardness, the perfect match for her yielding, burning form. The heat within her intensified, swirling and pooling between her legs. Her back arched, and Luciano's grip on her wrists tightened.

Luciano leaned forward, nibbled across her exposed neck, using his tongue to tease her sensitive skin. Each swipe brought more of Katrina's nerve endings to life, each touch of his tongue on her skin driving her body closer to some kind of perfect insanity.

'No more. No more teasing.'

Laughter rang out cruelly through the silence, and she realized she'd said that out loud. The laughter mocked her, tempted her, and teased her. Katrina lay beneath him, her wrists now free, but her body unable to move as she was trapped between layer upon layer of hot aching need, and the somewhat frozen fear of what she knew he was about to do to her.