A Hunter's Heart [The Hunters 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

  She screamed his name in pleasure as she came with Matei still nipping her clit. He removed her leg from his shoulder and positioned his cock at the head of her slit then pushed inside. Charlotte wrapped her legs around his body as he awkwardly thrust in and out of her still throbbing pussy.

  One hand was playing with her clit and Charlotte knew by the way her muscles were tensing and relaxing that another orgasm was just around the corner.

  Matei gave a hoarse shout and thrust his cock as hard and as deep as he could, then she felt him spill his load into her. The knowledge that he had come, and his relentless rubbing and circling fingers on her clit, ensured her climax.

  Charlotte threw her head back and shouted for him as her pussy muscles grabbed his cock and held it tight. They both were a jumbled heap of gasping breaths and tangled limbs.

  Once they had both recovered, Matei stood and drew on his loose, black drawstring pants then held Charlotte to dress. Gathering her in his arms, they sat together on the couch.

  “Cara, I know I shall never tire of making love to you, you are the most wonderful woman. Never will I stay away from you if I know we can be together.” The look of truth, love and adoration was plain on his face as he spoke to her.

  “I was frightened too! One moment I thought it was all a dream and I would never see you again.”

  Both were overwhelmed by their feelings. This was new to them both. Charlotte knew he was inexorably now a part of her life and she could not, nor would not, ever leave him. In the comfort of his arms, she relaxed and listened to his voice as he told her the fear she had felt. She realised they were the same fears she had. She felt herself doze off only to waken when Matei lifted her off the couch and began to carry her into the bedroom.

  “I can feel your tiredness, Iubită. You must sleep.”

  “Don’t you dare force me! I’ll sleep but you promised you would not force me!”

  Matei chuckled. “I’ll not make that mistake again, Cara, instead I will lie with you while you fall asleep.”

  With tenderness he undressed her and laid her under the covers before settling beside her, his arms gently enfolding her. She lay with her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

  “Must you leave in the morning?” Charlotte was amazed by her bold question.

  “Would you like me to stay with you?”

  “Yes, but I have to go out most of the day.” Shyly she whispered, “But you could sleep here. Then I would know you would be here when I came home.”

  Charlotte felt his arms tighten around her, “Cara, nothing would be give more pleasure,” and he kissed her passionately.

  Snuggling into him, Charlotte felt herself relax then drift into sleep.

  * * * *

  When Charlotte woke the next morning, it was to green eyes looking across at her filled with love. She grinned shyly at him and then kissed him softly.

  “Good morning, Matt.”

  “Good morning, Iubită. Iti dau inima mea.”

  Charlotte looked at him quizzically.

  “It means I give you my heart.”

  His words took her breath away, she could not answer so she kissed him again. When they broke apart she glanced at the clock and saw it was past eight thirty.

  “Damn, okay. I have to take a shower then go out. I have to take that commission up north, my client will expect me.”

  Matei held her tighter. “Stay with me while I sleep, I do not want to risk your safety.”

  “I’m sorry, Matei, I told you last night I had to go out. This isn’t one of those ‘safety risks.’ I have commitments. I’ll be back before dark.”

  “I am sorry, Cara.” He sounded contrite. “Please tell me what your business is. I have tried to behave and not read your thoughts,” he added, hoping she would appreciate his effort.

  “I paint. I take commissions and paint. This is my livelihood, this is how I earn my money.”

  “I have plenty of money. You don’t need to ever worry for its lack.”

  “I don’t want your money, Matei!” Charlotte felt insulted and she stiffened in his arms. “I make enough money to keep me happy and I also work because I enjoy it. I have built up a good business and I have no intention of stopping.”

  Matei sounded very arrogant and Charlotte thought there were going to be some arguments in the near future. She would have to stand her ground, he was far too used to getting his own way. She was getting angry again. If they did stay together she imagined there would be some fiery times ahead.

  “Yes,” Matei slyly said, “but we shall enjoy making love after you accept my view.”

  Charlotte pulled out of his arms and threw a pillow at his head, exasperated. “Get out of my head!”

  Laughingly he caught it and made to pull her back into bed but she eluded him, wrapped the fallen quilt around her and running into the bathroom. After using the bathroom, Charlotte realised she had no clean clothes, in fact, no clothes to wear after she showered. So, wrapping a towel around her and picking up the quilt, she walked back into the bedroom, head held high. She would not allow this man to intimidate her.

  The heavy drapes at the window were still tightly pulled, blocking the daylight, and she switched on the light. Harley was stretched full length on the bed with his head on Matei’s chest. He glanced up at her as she walked in then lay down again.

  “Traitorous dog!”

  Matei laughed aloud. “He and I share similar opinions of you so between us your safety is assured.”

  “Don’t tell me you can speak to dogs too!”

  “Not so much speak as share emotions and visions. I can become any animal but prefer the wolf and Harley feels the wolf in me. He has accepted me into his pack and will accept me as alpha.”

  “Dream on, Hotshot. There is only one alpha in this house and that’s me.”

  Charlotte caught the look that passed between dog and man and was positive they were both laughing at her.

  “Of course, Cara, of course you’re the alpha.”

  Matei struggled to keep a straight face and Charlotte threw the quilt over both of them and grabbed clean clothes, before making what she felt was a dignified exit into the bathroom.

  Letting the water soothe her, Charlotte thought over the events since last evening. She leant her head against the wall of the shower and closed her eyes. If she thought about it, the whole scenario threatened to swamp her and she knew she would start to cry.

  Part of her wanted to send this man as far away from her as possible and never see him again but most of her craved him. She was so confused. Not only had she allowed this man into her home but she had let him make love to her. She now was certain that she would be staying with him for the rest of her life. She could not imagine her life without him in it. Even the thought of being apart from him for the day was giving her pain.

  She must be crazy, it was the only rational excuse she could give herself, or else he had put a spell on her. Then she remembered he had something about being destined to fall in love with each other, that neither would not be able to resist.

  “Cara, don’t be sad, you aren’t crazy nor have I commanded you for any reason. Everything will work out for us. Relax and let me wash your worries.”

  Charlotte jerked her eyes open and spun around to see Matei standing naked at the entrance to the shower. Subconsciously her eyes dropped to his groin and she moaned a little at the thought of that huge shaft entering her.

  “Dragostea mea.” His voice was husky as he read her thoughts and he entered the shower to hold her tight, his erection pressing between them.

  Slowly he turned her body so her back was against his chest. He took the soap from her hands and began to rub in circles across her back and shoulders. She put her hands to the wall to brace herself. Her legs felt weak. Slowly the circles on her back dipped low or crept either side to caress a breast. It was so erotic and Charlotte could feel herself dissolving into the sensation. She leant closer against the wall, afraid she would fa
ll.

  Matei forced one leg between hers and she felt his fingers running between the cleft of her legs, all the while he murmured to her in another language. She had no idea what he said but to her added to the sensations. She could feel the head of his penis at her buttocks and all she wanted was for him to sink it into her damp channel. She could feel moisture dripping from her.

  He turned her around and knelt. Charlotte was sure she would fall as he lifted one leg and put it over his shoulder. She put her hands on his shoulders then gasped as his bent forward to part her lips and lick her. That magic tongue of his seemed to have a mind of its own as he teased, licked, and sucked her clit then dipped into her pussy. Charlotte grabbed a handful of his hair. Trying to pull him to his feet, she wanted him to thrust into her with his cock.

  Matei stopped and reached behind her. Turning off the shower, he grabbed a towel and wrapped her in it then picked her up and carried her back to the bed. He straddled her and looked into her face.

  “You are sure?” he asked tentatively. His hesitation surprised Charlotte and she pulled him down onto her in answer. His lips melted onto hers and with ever-increasing pressure began to explore with his tongue. She could feel one hand caressing her clit and she reached between them, trying to reach his penis, but his was too far down her body. He moved up and she could feel the head nudging at her entrance. She lifted her buttocks to meet him. Suddenly he plunged into her and she cried out with pleasure.

  He began to thrust in and out and she found the rhythm with her body, joining him, adding to the dance of their bodies. With an urgency born of desire from them both, Matei increased the speed of his thrusting and Charlotte lifted higher. His hard cock sank deep into her body, he could feel her muscles gripping him and it drove him to thrust even harder and deeper.

  Neither had the control to slow down this first time and it became savage as both tried to gain more depth and harder thrusts. Charlotte knew her orgasm was only a second away and she wrapped her legs around him, driving him even deeper into her. She screamed as the waves of pleasure overwhelmed her and she felt Matei tense as he felt the muscles of her tight pussy clench his cock so tight. She felt him explode inside her as he gave a final thrust.

  Matei drew her close and rolled onto his back, pulling her with him, still locked inside her. Both were covered in a fine sheen of perspiration and trying to settle their breathing back to normal. She nestled her head on his chest and listened to his heart, still racing in time with hers.

  “Dragostea mea,” he whispered and kissed her head. She could lie there forever wrapped in the arms of his love but she remembered she had to leave. Charlotte struggled to sit up. She was a little lost as his penis slipped from her. She felt embarrassed at what had occurred but was determine to put on a brave face. She slid from the bed and stood before him with only a little shame, and he reached out to touch her hand.

  “I thank you. You are so perfect.”

  He made to get up but Charlotte stopped him with her hand.

  “No, this time I have to have a shower and if you come in with me I know what’ll happen.”

  He tried to look innocent but failed completely as Charlotte turned and walked back into the bathroom.

  She washed and dressed then walked back into the bedroom. Matei was stretched full length on the bed, comfortable in his nakedness. He had his eyes closed and Charlotte watched the rise and fall of his chest, drinking in the sight of a perfect naked man. His body was delicious. She noticed that the tattoos continued across his buttocks and lower abdomen and down the top of each leg. She wanted to kiss her way around his gorgeous body. She could look at it all day. Not to mention his cock. She was tempted to taste that strong shaft.

  “I heard that thought,” he said without opening his eyes.

  “What have I said about dipping into my brain?”

  “I like that you like my body. I want to please you in every way possible.”

  He opened those impossible green eyes and she moved over to him to sit on the edge of the bed. He took her hand and kissed her fingers.

  “What do your tattoos mean?”

  “They are protection spells. When we accept the responsibility of being a Hunter, we are tattooed with them if we wish.”

  “Do your partners have them also?”

  “Some do but it is not necessary. It is a mark of responsibility to those born a Hunter.”

  “They are beautiful.”

  Charlotte traced the ones on his chest. She felt herself getting excited again so sat back.

  “I have to leave but I should be home late this afternoon.”

  It felt weird to leave this man in her house but at the same time, it felt so right. In a few hours, she had become inexorably entwined with him. Part of her understood this was because she was his One, his perfect match. Already the depth of her feelings for him surprised her.

  “I wish I could come with you, Iubită, to protect you but I cannot. If you need me you need only to call and I will hear.”

  “Even from far away?” she asked.

  He shook his head remorsefully. “No, at the moment I would only be able to hear you when you were very close by. When we have exchanged blood once then I will be able to hear you no matter where you are. No distance would be of concern.”

  “Listen, buddy, that is an ‘if’ we exchange, not when.”

  Charlotte poked his chest to make her point and he grabbed her finger and drew it to his lips. His tongue licked the length of it, then he drew it into his mouth. Charlotte could feel herself reacting even more. It seemed no matter what this man did, it excited her and her panties were soaked again. She wrenched her finger free and stood.

  “Behave.”

  Unfortunately Matei did not look the slightest contrite and she felt her heart turn over as she looked him.

  “Please be careful, dragostea mea, now that I have found you, I don’t want to lose you. You mean more to me than my life. Can you not do this errand at night when I can be with you?”

  “No, silly. It takes a few of hours to get there and then an hour or so with the client, then three more hours to get back here. I wanted to courier the work but the client insisted on me delivering it and as he is paying a lovely fee I agreed.”

  Matei was clearly distressed at not being able to come with her but it was impossible to spend a full day in the sun. He could tolerate some but it would force him to feed early to heal the sun’s effects on his body. To spend a full day awake and in the daylight, even indoors, would be too much for his body to repair and it could kill him. Charlotte leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be home before you know it. You and Harley can sleep all day and when you wake I’ll be back.”

  He took her hand and bought it to his lips to kiss without saying a word. He turned her hand over to kiss the small Om tattoos she had on each wrist. Charlotte turned and walked out of the bedroom. She felt a pang as she left him then shook her head at her silliness, how quickly this man was worming into her heart.

  “I belong in your heart, Cara.”

  Charlotte stopped and walked back to the bedroom door.

  “Can I do that?”

  “Yes, but remember we need to be close by each other.”

  She nodded and walked out again.

  Chapter Eight

  Stepping into her studio, Charlotte picked up the artwork she had carefully packed the day before. She always got a kick out of being in the studio. When she was younger, she worked on the dining table and it had only been in the last few years that her work had started to generate enough interest to afford her the luxury of building a studio attached to the house. Her son was a builder and it had only cost her the price of materials. It was not as big as she would love but at least she had more room than trying to work on the table.

  She walked out to the car and felt a kiss on her cheek as if Matei were standing alongside her.

  “How do you do that?” she thought.


  “I honestly don’t know. It just comes naturally to us.”

  Charlotte screwed up her face in concentration and tried to return the kiss. “Did you feel that?”

  Laughing, Matei replied, “I will have an imprint of your lips for a month!”

  “Oops sorry,” Charlotte felt embarrassed “I didn’t realize. Next time I will go softer.”

  “Take care, dragostea mea, and when you return I’ll do more than plant phantom kisses on your mouth.” And Charlotte swore she could feel his mouth on her breast.

  With his voice laughing in her brain, Charlotte backed out of the driveway and started her trip.

  * * * *

  Actually, it was a good opportunity for Charlotte to think without the distraction of Matei’s body. So much had happened since last evening. She knew her life had changed, just whether it was for the best would remain to be seen.

  Traffic was reasonable and she figured it would take her just over three hours to reach her clients, so that would certainly be plenty of time to think. She concentrated on the traffic and then when she hit the motorway it gave her a chance to relax and settle into the drive. Turning over all that she had heard, she realised that she was accepting that there really were vampires in the world. Although seeing Matei’s fangs was the clincher. She wondered what other things assigned as myths and fairy tales were real. She had the distinct feeling that she would find out. She had avoided thinking about conversion. Still she knew that eventually she would have to make a decision.

  Matei had said he would not force her into it and that if she chose not to he would stay with her and age as if mortal, finally entering the sun when she died. She could not bear to think of him dead, he was so vibrant, so alive. If he died, there would be one less Hunter to fight the vampires.

  She would think about it later. She needed to talk it through with him without any pressure, to understand exactly what it would mean. Just how soon would she be forced to leave her children? How would she deal with not being able to see them, to be with them during the daylight hours?