Lost Paradise Read online

  “Where are you going?”

  I turned. Lash closed his bedroom door behind him, and came towards me in the semi-darkness, framed in the weak outside lights shining through the downstairs windows. He was wearing a black motorcycle jacket and his jeans, his face in deep shadow.

  “You shouldn’t wander downstairs alone,” Lash continued, coming closer. “What do you need?”

  Did he sleep in those jeans? No, most likely he slept naked as he had at Danial’s. Probably he had nothing on underneath them…The Lust came roaring back like a tidal pool, drowning me in seconds.

  He’s probably warm like he’d been that night I’d fallen asleep with him. I want that warmth, to curl around him, and smell his scent, to roll myself in it until I’m covered with it. I want to surround him with my body, to cover him with my scent, until everything meshes into one!

  I went up the stairs in a lunge, my robe dropping to the floor. I reached out for him, but he evaded me like before, sidestepping quickly, his hands grasping my arms. He pressed my back to the wall, turning me to face him. I reached up with my hands, and brought his lips down on mine, opening my mouth eagerly. Lash responded immediately, sliding his forked tongue to mine fervently, tasting me as he pressed his body to mine, his erection forming quickly at my hip. I reached down and caressed him. He let out a soft groan, breaking the kiss.

  “Is this for me?” I said seductively, stroking him.

  Lash pressed himself against me hard, rubbing and thrusting. “All for you, if you want it,” he hissed. Then he kissed me, the unyielding press of his fangs quickly lost to the soft kisses on my cheeks, then my neck as he reached his arms up under my nightgown to slide his callused fingertips up my naked back.

  The feel of his rough hands on my smooth skin inflamed me. I reached down and grabbed his ass, pulling him hard against me and squeezing. “I want it! I want you,” I moaned insistently, overcome by the pleasurable sensations of his lips and tongue caressing my skin.

  “What do you want?” he hissed softly in my ear. “The same as before?”

  “Yes,” I said, reaching for the front of his jeans. “Now.”

  “Come with me,” he said, trying to lead me to his bedroom. “We can’t do it here, or Serena and Nick may see us. They are in her room—”

  “No, not there—”

  “Where?” Lash said hungrily, kissing me lightly again on my neck.

  I grabbed him by his hair, and jerked his head back from me. “Davy’s,” I said roughly, kissing down his neck. “I want you to take me as you used to take Cin.”

  “Take us there and I will,” he answered, raw lust uncoiling in each word.

  I closed my eyes, teleporting us. But instead of ending up inside, we ended up before the closed doors of Davy’s, in the parking lot. The harsh light of a streetlight shone down on us. The cool night air was cool on my skin, raising goosebumps down my arms.

  Lash shrugged off his leather jacket, then draped it over me. “My bad,” he hissed. “Davy’s is shielded when it’s not open, so no one can teleport in and have a private party.” He grinned. “Demons have a taste for booze.”

  “I want in,” I said harshly, then let my tone shift to sultry. “Don’t you?”

  “Yes,” Lash hissed, baring his snake fangs. “And I get what I want, Sar. Come here.”

  I pushed into his arms, my arms going around his neck. Lash grabbed my wrists, then held me to the brick wall, kissing me as he rubbed his groin on mine. My breaths came raggedly, my consuming desire for him building uncontrollably. I raised one knee, bending my leg to pull him closer, the sudden added stimulation of his erection making me moan with longing. Yes, he could take me right here, against the wall. I wanted his fangs in me, along with his cock…

  Lash shuddered, then pushed back from me. He went to the doors and with a well-aimed kick, sent them crashing open. Returning for me, he led me into the main room at Davy’s. In the blackness of the early dawn hours, nothing was visible, not even Lash beside me. I stood still and let my eyes adjust, afraid if I moved I was going to stumble over something. Lash gave my hand a squeeze, then began walking towards the yawning deeper blackness of the back room. I followed him slowly, suddenly angry that my night vision that had once been so enhanced had not returned with the recent influx of Devlin’s blood. But the fire in my veins turned to desire as I was led though the dark by Lash, the knowledge of where he was leading me, and what he would do to me when we got there intensifying my arousal with every cautious step.

  Lash paused in the back doorway as if getting his bearings. A dim emergency light above the bar revealed two pool tables and a couple tables with a few chairs around them. Everything else was in deep shadow.

  I was frantic by now with need, tremors wracking my body. “Please,” I whispered, running my hands up, then down his arms. “Please, Lash. I need you—”

  He made no answer, only grabbed my hand again and started walking. When we reached the furthest table, he lifted me in his arms, setting me on the edge. With a swipe of his arm, he sent the pool cues and the balls behind me clattering to the floor. The noise of their rolling disappeared as Lash kissed me insistently, his long tongue twining with mine as he parted my legs and pulled my hips hard against his straining jeans, letting out an eager hiss. I clung to him, my mouth devouring his, even as I reached down and unzipped his pants.

  Lash hissed, then grabbed my arms, stopping me, and pushed me backwards down on the table. I watched his shadowy form as warm hands pushed my nightgown up, then parted my legs all the way open. Those hands ran down my belly and over my hips, then stroked my thighs softly.

  I moved involuntarily under his hands, trembling hard. “Please!”

  I tried hard to hold still in sweet anticipation, waiting for a hard thrust. Instead came the sensation of his tongue licking at my vagina, then his fangs brushing my skin. Even in my lust, I felt a sudden shiver of fear. Involuntarily, my legs tried to close. His hands clamped down around my thighs tightly, holding me still. I went to stop Lash, drawing breath to cry out. Instead a sigh escaped my lips as his warm tongue curled up within me, and began stroking gently.

  A few seconds later, I was jerking for him, moaning as he stroked me over and over. My hands went into his hair, kneading and grasping. Lash knew what he was doing. I had never felt anything like this, not with anyone else, ever. With his long forked tongue, he could do movements that couldn’t normally be done, creating unbelievable stimulation when he’d kissed my mouth. What he was doing to me now made those kisses seem like nothing.

  Waves of utter pleasure hit me. I jerked beneath him, crying out over and over with every touch. Lash kept stroking me, kissing me, the pressure building until I felt I was going to die if it went on much longer. Then I erupted, screaming in climax as I arched up off the table into him. He held me fast with his hands, still moving relentlessly, wresting every last tremor of my orgasm from me.

  Panting, I relaxed back onto the table. There was the whisper of falling cloth, then the light abrasion of skin on skin as Lash leaned onto me, almost undulating, kissing my skin as he worked his way upwards. Taking my nightgown in his hands, he ripped it down the front, then pushed it to either side. With a wooden creak, he easily boosted himself onto the table, laying between my legs. As the pool table groaned again under our combined weight, I went rigid, worried it was going to collapse beneath us.

  “Shh,” Lash hissed. “It will hold us.”

  Holding himself up on his elbows, he kissed me again, harder this time, sliding his erection back and forth over my thatch. As I tasted myself in his kiss, I groaned, feeling the sudden slipperiness as my body told him I was ready. Preparing to guide him in, I eagerly put my hands on his chest and felt warm scales beneath my fingers.

  Lash went motionless.

  This was what he had been afraid of me feeling that last time we had been together. But my breaths were fast from excitement, not fear. I liked the feel of him under my hands; I wasn’t afraid he was diff
erent. I slid my hands over his chest, caressing his scales a few times, then reached my hand down, pushing his erection into position to enter.

  With a grunt, Lash drove himself in, bringing a cry from me. He lowered himself onto me, kissed my throat, and then there was a prick as his fangs slid in. I convulsed at the sensation, and Lash made a muffled groan as I tightened up, squeezing him. At once he began moving in and out of me in rhythm, his mouth fastened on my neck, sucking gently.

  I clasped him to me, barely registering the slight pain. All I could hear was his heart beating fast, much faster than mine, and my own gasps. I ran my hands over his back, his ass, loving the feel of his muscles contracting under my hands, loving how he was driving so deep with each thrust.

  Suddenly, I was there. As I took a breath to scream, he covered my mouth with his hand tightly. I shook hard in the throes of my orgasm, screaming into his hand, my muffled cries quiet in the stillness. Lash’s body stiffened as he drove himself into me deeply with a soft hiss.

  His body gave a few spasms on mine, then relaxed. Giving me a chaste kiss, he pulled out quickly and eased down on his back by my side. We lay there for a while, not speaking, as our breathing calmed. Lash made no sounds, except soft hisses of pleasure, as I slowly came back to myself.

  As I did, I began to shiver. It wasn’t fear of him, but fear of myself: I’d rarely felt so sated in my life, even after hours of lovemaking. What he had done to me that first time, it had been like no oral sex I’d ever experienced. It had been a goddamn epiphany…

  A wave of guilt hit, telling me I was wrong to have enjoyed his touch so much. Anxiety followed; Lash had said he didn’t like being with women who weren’t weresnake, as he was. But Devlin hadn’t given him a choice, he’d just told Lash what needed to be done and expected him to just do it. Given another option, Lash wouldn’t have touched me in a million years. It was a safe bet he hadn’t had an epiphany, only a pleasant day at the office.

  I knew what it was, not to have a choice. I let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry—”

  “Don’t apologize after,” Lash hissed sharply. “Don’t make more of this than it is.”

  Tears flooded my eyes. That he was right didn’t matter. I’d used him to slake my lust, just like the slut Elle had accused me of being. Worse, he wasn’t mellow or sated like me; he was angry and unfulfilled. I turned my back to him, trying not to make any noise.

  With a hiss that sounded like a sigh, Lash put his arms around me, and pulled me close to him. “Shh,” he said softly. “Don’t cry.”

  “I’m sorry I made you—”

  “You didn’t make me do anything but come,” Lash hissed in my ear. “Don’t be sad about that or regretful. That’s all I meant.”

  I turned to face him, then touched him gently on his chest, again stroking his warm scales. They were leathery and smooth to the touch, the ridges where one overlapped another just noticeable under my hands. “Is there a pattern on them?”

  “Of course,” Lash said mockingly. “I’m not an albino cottonmouth. I thought you were a big animal lover.”

  Not sure how to answer, I put my hand over his heart. The beats were still coming fast, though his breathing had quieted. Lash’s chest was hard beneath my fingers, his wiry arm muscles like steel bands around me as I stroked his scales.

  “It’s the potion I take,” Lash hissed after a moment. “I can’t come all the way back to human form anymore. But it’s better than dying.”

  He was embarrassed his body wasn’t fully human for some reason. Was he worried I’d recoil?

  “I don’t mind,” I whispered. “I’ve always had a fondness for snakes.” I kissed him gently on his chest, putting my lips to his scales.

  Lash let out a sharp hiss and pushed me back gently from him. “Unless you want to go again, stop that.”

  I hugged him, and didn’t reply, taking comfort from his nearness.

  Lash shifted slightly. “We should get back to Hayden. Dev will be back soon.”

  As he moved, he brushed my hip gently, his erection thick and solid. The Lust came roaring back, possessing me completely. I reached down and took hold of him with one hand, sliding it down over his shaft, squeezing gently.

  “Not so fast, Lover.”

  Lash whipped his head around, then relaxed back on the table, pulling me astride him. I worked his penis in my hand rapidly, as he groaned and contracted his hips. Lowering myself into position above him, I teased him, rubbing my body on his. Lash reached up and grabbed my hips, bringing them down quickly to receive him, his hiss of pleasure loud in the silence. His mouth devoured mine, his hands gripping me hard as he began to thrust.

  The Lust ruled me, my lips whispering to him to kiss me, to take me, to fuck me. But despite my impatient demands, Lash took his time, his hands caressing my breasts, curling his long tongue around my nipples as he suckled them, his gentle bites not breaking my skin. I rode him relentlessly, my body sweaty and starving for climax.

  “Deeper,” I hissed at him angrily. “Do it!”

  “I’m in you to my balls,” Lash hissed back, then groaned, moving my hips on his faster.

  My muscles tightened as the first tickles of orgasm hit me. “Come,” I commanded harshly. “I want you to—”

  “You come,” Lash commanded, then rolled over onto me, his organ driving into me furiously. I came at once, my scream muffled as he quickly covered my mouth with his hand, his movements jagged as he orgasmed.

  Lash lifted his upper body on his forearms, his eyes glimmers in the heavy gloom. “Are you done?” he hissed softly. “Do you need it again?”

  He was saying he was only done if I wanted it to be done. I reached up and caressed his scales, then rested my hand on his chest, The Lust slowly abating as the minutes passed.

  Lash shifted, his still-hard penis withdrawing slightly. I breathed in abruptly, blinking rapidly to clear my head of The Lust’s influence. “I’m okay, I think.”

  Lash quickly pulled out, then rolled onto his back beside me. I lay there, trying to think of what to say as the silence stretched. I wanted to tell him how good he’d been, but I couldn’t seem to get the words out. Not only was I embarrassed, I was wondering why the hell I’d come without him biting me.

  “You’re heart is racing,” Lash hissed softly, his tone teasing. “Lover.”

  My pulse shot up. I looked over at his form with just my eyes, watching as his hand slowly reached over and caressed my pubic hair. I shifted uneasily the moment he touched me, then began to writhe, The Lust engulfing me again as his skilled fingers worked their way deeper, his mouth closing on my breast.

  I grasped his head, pressing him to my chest. “Slide in,” I whispered seductively, spreading my legs, my hips pushing upwards. “I want you to—”

  “No.” Lash pressed me flat to the table with one hand, the other rubbing my clit. “I want to see you come.”

  “You bastard,” I snarled, reaching for his throat. “Take me or I’ll kill you.”

  “Don’t threaten me,” Lash hissed, grabbing my wrists as he maneuvered on top of me. “Don’t ever threaten me—”

  I wriggled under his body, moving from side to side. “Get off me!”

  Lash shifted his hips back and forth, then suddenly bore down hard, penetrating me. I gave a jerk, then began moving frantically, trying to dislodge him. He trapped me under him, his hands on my wrists, his hips moving fast on mine. I fought him, pushing at him with my hands, kicking and cursing until the moment he bit down into me. At once compliant, I relaxed back to the table, moaning and sighing.

  Lash drank and made love to me as I luxuriated beneath him. Then he stiffened, thrusting deeply, his hiss of pleasure bringing a gasp of sudden ecstasy as I clasped his ass, kneading as the familiar surge of pleasure washed though me. Sated, I finally went limp, my chest heaving.

  Lash pushed up from me, then waited there above me, watching.

  I shuddered under him, coming back to myself, ashamed of how I’d acted.
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  Lash waited in silence, unmoving, tense as a coiled spring.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, wiping at my eyes. “It’s…it’s like that sometimes.”

  Lash rolled onto his back again with a sigh beside me and didn’t answer.

  I stayed quiet, too, my mind working furiously. Lash’s refusal had brought out the worst of The Lust. But why was it raising repeatedly over and over after being sated? Maybe it had needed him to drink some blood like he just had? More important, how were we going to get home if it rose every time he touched me?

  “I should’ve just done what you asked,” Lash hissed, letting out a breath.

  “It’s not important,” I answered absently.

  “You didn’t scream.”

  I looked over at him, wondering what he was talking about.

  “If you’d have screamed for me to stop, I would have,” Lash added. “I thought what I was doing was okay.” He touched his fingertips to my arm just perceptibly. “I didn’t meant to scare you.”

  “You didn’t,” I assured him, then paused, the sudden urge to tell him how much I’d enjoyed the first two times undeniable. I wrestled with my conscience a few seconds, then decided screw it, he’d been fucking amazing, and after making me feel like that he deserved to know it. “What you did to me…it…it was wonderful. It was amazing.”

  “Good,” Lash said, moving closer. He put his arms around me, then squeezed gently.

  The Lust ebbed, then disappeared completely. As it did regret filled me; not at the sex itself, but for how it had complicated our relationship. I’d wanted to get along with him. I thought maybe we were becoming friends. Now this had to happen.

  “I’ll miss this,” Lash whispered in my ear, “when you’re back to normal.”

  Guilt and regret washed over me, because I couldn’t reply the same. “I thought you didn’t like to be with any women who weren’t weresnake,” I said hesitantly.