The roar was back, filling his ears. No, not a roar this time. His heartbeat. Pounding so fast.

“I want you,” Nicole said, and with that, nothing would have kept him from her.

He leaned over her and his right knee pushed down on the sagging mattress. He didn’t touch her, was almost afraid to. After having her haunt his dreams—just like this—he didn’t want to risk reaching out and having her vanish.

But this wasn’t a dream. Or a nightmare. This was real. He could just glimpse the edge of her fangs and her eyes were still pitch-black.

Not quite like his fantasies.

But she was still Nicole.

His fingers trailed down her arm. He’d always loved her skin. He bent and his breath blew lightly over her nipple.

She arched toward him. “Keenan!”

That was how a woman should say his name. With need and lust and hunger.

Not fear.

His tongue snaked out and licked her nipple. Sampled it and he found that he loved the taste. His mouth opened wider and he closed his lips over her flesh. Sucking. Tasting.

More.

His teeth scored her flesh. Perhaps there was a reason why vamps liked to bite so much. The biting was … pleasurable.

Her legs shifted as her breath came faster. He liked that.

His fingers found her other breast and lightly caressed the nipple. But then he had to taste it, too. Her br**sts were sweet, the tips like ripe strawberries—a new temptation he’d discovered.

The world was meant to tempt.

The scent of her arousal filled his nostrils. She wants me. This wasn’t a game. No trick. Nicole wanted him just as much as he wanted her. His head lifted. He stared into her eyes.

“Don’t worry,” she told him, her voice pure sin, “I won’t bite you … I’m in control.”

He wasn’t. And as for biting, “I will.” Then he began to lick his way down her stomach as he explored every inch of her flesh. He couldn’t touch her enough. Couldn’t taste her enough. And, yes, he had to bite. Had to nip the flesh because he liked the way she gasped his name when she felt the edge of his teeth. Not enough pressure to hurt, not for her, just enough to make the need mount.

He pushed her legs apart more and settled between them. His heart was heavy in his chest, his muscles tense and his flesh was so aroused and swollen he felt like he’d explode at any minute.

His fingers shook when he touched her. She gasped, and he looked up, his gaze shooting to her face. But no pain was there, only pleasure.

He touched her again, letting his finger stroke her flesh, learning the hidden curves, and finding the spots that made her moan and arch.

He leaned in even closer because there was more he needed to know.

How does she taste?

“Keenan.” Her nails dug into shoulders. “I need …”

“I need to taste you.” He’d never thought to have her like this. Fantasies were one thing, reality another. But now that he had her, spread beneath him, open, ready, he wasn’t going to back away.

One taste.

Would one be enough?

His lips skimmed over her sex. His tongue licked.

Not even close to enough.

A hungry growl burst from his lips as his hands clamped down tighter on her hips. He opened her more, tasting, licking, savoring every inch of her hot core.

Her moans were in his ears, her claws digging into his shoulders, and her hips pushing closer to him.

He heard her call his name. He heard the broken rasp of her breaths, but he wasn’t done.

Her body tensed, and he looked up just in time to see the blind pleasure flow across her face—and he pressed his mouth harder to her and savored the taste of her release as she came.

Then he slowly climbed back up her body. Her breath heaved, and her hands reached for him. He kissed her. Keenan drove his tongue into her mouth and let that wild hunger build and build.

He wanted to plunge into her body. To take and take and let the release rip through him.

Forbidden.

Like he gave a damn about the rules anymore. Those rules were for angels, and he didn’t have a chance of ever flying again, not with his wings burned off.

Take.

He couldn’t fly, but he could have her. He would have her.

Then the scent reached him. The light, almost sweet scent of flowers in the air.

The scent that always came when an angel was near.

He tore his mouth from hers and spun around. His hand automatically went to the thin sheet, and he yanked it over her body. “Get out of here!” He thundered.

“What?” Nicole demanded. “After what we just—you want me to leave?”