"Anwar, Celeste - Born of Night" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anwar Celeste)

He cradled his body into hers, stroking those rough jeans against her trapped slit, melting her core until she felt her wet arousal trickle between her thighs. His groin nestled in the juncture of her thighs, so incredibly close to where she needed it, unbearably hard and erotic, wrecking what little resolve she still possessed. At some point, heТd freed her hands to draw his around her waist and bring her tighter against him, slipping them down to clutch her buttocks and mold her to the hot tightness of his cock.
Jessica clung to him, her fingers stroking his satiny skin and muscled back. She squirmed in pleasurable agony as he thrust against her, fighting the thrill that surged in her blood at his possessive hold and the knowledge that sheТd conjured his lust.
She couldnТt seem to get enough air. She felt dizzy with it and the tingling pleasure between her thighs. Her lips and tongue felt gloriously bruised from his kiss, so sensitive she could orgasm if only heТd continue devouring her.
He broke away from her mouth suddenly, leaving her gasping for breath and her knees weak.
УYouТre so sweet, cherie,Ф he said with a drowsy, heated look, rubbing his thumb across his lips and licking the moisture lingering from her mouth off the pad.
Jessica swallowed. Hard. She felt dazed and not herself, and her pulse still raced with something akin to heat. The loss of control unnerved her. УMy necklace?Ф she managed to say past her throbbing lips. She held out her hand, palm up, encouraged by her ability not to melt in a puddle on the ground at his feet.
He gave her an unreadable look and dropped the necklace into her hand, closing her fingers over it. УItТs broken. YouТll need tТfix it,Ф he said, releasing her hand.
She resisted the urge to rub where heТd touched her. She felt positively branded all over. By the way he was acting, it seemed to be just her reacting so heatedly to the kiss--which was infinitely embarrassing to say the least. Jessica looked down at the broken chain. УYes, it is.Ф But sheТd already known that. The thief had ripped it from her neck.
УItТs not somtinТ you wanna wait on, chere.Ф
Jessica looked up, distracted from her unwanted physical response by the intriguing tone of his voice. There was warning there. And something else she couldnТt quite identify. УWhat do you mean?Ф
УJusТ what I said. ThereТs a shop jusТ a ways from the corner of Bourbon and Canal--MikelТs. They can fix it for you there. You wanТ me tТshow you?Ф He grinned in the half light, his teeth flashing white against his bronzed skin.
УThanks. I can find it on my own.Ф She hadnТt noticed any shops on her way down here--mostly just hotels and the like. A few bars. Her own hotel was on Canal Street.
УYouТre not gonna go, are you, chere?Ф
Whether she did or not wasnТt any of his business. She shrugged noncommittally.
УJusТ remember what I tolТ you.Ф
His advice brought the warning her adoptive parents had given her fresh into her mind. Never take this off. Never. She knew her neck was ringed with paler skin, the chain having long rested around it ... for as long as she could remember. She half wondered if he knew something she didnТt, but she shrugged the silly thought off. He didnТt know her or anything about her. SheТd gotten paranoid since coming to New Orleans.
Jessica turned to go, then stopped. УWhatТs your name?Ф she asked, glancing back at him over her shoulder.
He smiled lazily, propping one shoulder against the building in confident male fashion. УGabriel Benoit, petite. At your service.Ф
УNice to ... uh ... meet you,Ф she murmured and turned away before he could see her blush again ... or draw her into further conversation. She put his disturbing presence and even more disturbing kiss out of her mind.
She wasnТt here to get involved with any man, especially not one like him. She knew the type--players. Always charming, good looking, and absolutely horrible on a womanТs self esteem when they left and chased after the next piece of ass. She wasnТt going to be any manТs conquest. Not that Jessica had ever fallen for a player, but she damned well knew now why women did.
She still felt hot and bothered as she set off for her hotel. She glanced back to see if he followed--not because she wanted one last look at temptation incarnate--but he wasnТt to be seen. She quickly lost sight of the small alley as she made her way toward Canal street and left the Bourbon revelers behind. Soon the only sounds on the street were the hum of car engines, the wind, and her own footsteps. It was a long walk back to her hotel, and she was contemplating catching a cab when she noticed the obscure shop Gabriel had spoken of.
It was practically invisible, overshadowed by the giants around it, but the shuttered, double doors were thrown open to let a cool breeze inside. Obviously, they were open, even at this late hour. Jessica approached it, and the jangling music of wind chimes grew louder as she neared. A man was inside, sweeping the rugs covering the tiled floor. He looked up as she passed through the door.
УAre you closing up?Ф she asked, stopping inside the threshold.
УNot just yet,Ф he said, setting his broom aside. УWhat can I do for you?Ф
Jessica held up her necklace, looking around and feeling like sheТd been duped. The shop didnТt look like a jewelry repair place. УSomeone mentioned I could get this fixed here,Ф she said with a doubtful tone to her voice.
He took it from her and gave her a startled look, quickly shuttered. УYep. IТll get this fixed for you in a jiffy. Have a look around. IТll be right back.Ф
Jessica nodded and watched him go through a door into the back, then wandered around the cluttered shop. There were racks of charms and potions on one side, including a row dedicated to nothing but essence of garlic of varying sizes and potencies. Weapons lined the walls out of reach near the ceiling: crossbows, long bows, swords, and arrows with silver and wooden heads. There were others she couldnТt identify, but that looked almost like maces.
Jessica continued looking and found an umbrella holder filled with short wooden stakes and another with mallets. It looked for all the world like some bizarre, witch hunting shop ... or rather, one dedicated to vampire hunting. The movie Blade popped in her head. Really, being Louisiana, she wouldТve thought theyТd have more voodoo paraphernalia.
The man came out again, moving behind the front counter. He laid her necklace on the clean surface. УThatТs a fine warding medallion you have. Been a while since IТve seen one so old.Ф
УWarding medallion?Ф she asked, walking up to the counter to check the work. She couldnТt even tell it had ever been broken.
УYes. Well, itТs an old, cryptic language. Most people wouldnТt recognize it. See these markings here?Ф He flipped it over and showed her a scrawling script. SheТd always thought it was some kind of ornate design--not words. УItТs protection against the wolf.Ф
Jessica was intrigued. She leaned on the counter, looking between him and her medallion. УWhat kind of protection?Ф
УIt depends on the wearer really. Now, if you were a vampire, it would ward werewolves away ... supposedly.Ф
Jessica laughed. He wasnТt serious. УOkay, you got me. ThereТs no such thing as vampires and werewolves.Ф
He chuckled, watching as she put the necklace on. УIТm not joking around. I wouldТve thought youТd heard of the war by now.Ф
УWhat war? Does it have something to do with all this stuff in here?Ф she asked, waving an expansive arm, playing along.
He propped an elbow on the register. УOf course. IТm just a supplier, mind you. I donТt take part, but IТm partial to the Lycan side of things.Ф
УWhyТs that? I mean, I donТt see why vampires and Lycans would fight.Ф
He rubbed his jaw, considering it. УIt mustТve been in the early part of this past century. The Lycans rebelled against the vamps using them as food and slaves ... but they mostly objected to being eaten, and still do. MustТve been a sight to see them tearing into the vamps--if you were on the inside, that is. IТve always been partial to the underdog, so I supply them when they come in.Ф
Jessica was completely unnerved and fascinated by his story. She didnТt doubt but what there were plenty of nuts running around claiming to be a werewolf or a vampire. She guessed anyone had a right to make a living selling to them. УSo is this war still going on?Ф she asked, amused.
УIt flares up every now and again, but they usually stick to their territory. Just stay clear of anything Southwest of the Ponchartrain Expressway. Especially the warehouse and Garden district.Ф
Jessica nodded, humoring him. She was going there to check out the cemetery where her birth parents had been buried--at least thatТs what sheТd managed to dig up. Jessica paid him and turned to leave, but he stopped her with one last warning.
УYouТll remember what I said, right? I can tell youТre not from around here and donТt know about the territories just yet. I wouldnТt want you to have a run in with those bloodsuckers. ThereТs only so much protection that warding medallion will give you.Ф