Just the way they both wanted it.

But first, he had to make certain his vampire was ready for the demands he'd make on her.

He pulled his finger back, deliberately raked his thumb over her clit, then thrust his hand against her, rocking his palm against her sensitive folds and then pushing two fingers deep into her.

Her head tilted back against the wall. The delicate muscles of her sex quivered around him.

Her scent drove him to the brink.

Adam pulled back his hand, raised his head, and gazed down at her. He licked the cream from his fingers, savoring her taste.

And knew that he wanted more.

Adam dropped to his knees before her. Pushed those slim thighs apart even more to open her wide for his eyes.

Her hands were free now, and her fingers immediately clamped around his shoulders, her claws digging into the skin.

But her intent wasn't to stop him. No, when he glanced up, he could tell by the hunger shining in the darkness of her eyes-she wanted more.

Just as he did.

His mouth found her, kissing her through the cascading water. Taking her essence onto his tongue as he licked the pink flesh between her thighs. He found her clit, stroked once, a long, thorough lick, then he sucked the button, pulling it into his mouth.

He felt her tremble around him. His hands locked around her thighs and he lifted her legs. He held her easily, barely feeling her weight as he kissed and licked her. Her taste was so fucking good.

Her breath came faster now. Harder. Her body was tight, and the quiver of her sex-oh, yeah, he could feel it. She was-

"Adam!" She cried out his name, her thighs tightening as she came. He felt the ripples of her release on his tongue. Tasted her pleasure.

And still wanted more.

He eased her legs down. Rose with the taste of her cream in his mouth and his cock all but ready to burst. His hand reached out, snapped off the flow of water. He grabbed Maya, lifting her into his arms and striding from the shower.

He took her to the bed. He didn't give a damn that they were both soaking wet.

He had to get inside her.

The bed squeaked when he placed her on the mattress, groaned when his body came down on top of hers.

He reached for her, ready to thrust deep into her.

Maya grabbed his hand. Met his stare with eyes a coal black. "My game now, Slick."

Then he was on his back, with Maya on top of him. She pinned his arms to the mattress. Her legs straddled him. Her sex was open, teasing him, just above his cock. The soft down of her black curls rubbed against him.

Maya leaned close. Her breath feathered over his lips. "Did you enjoy your taste?"

Hell, yes.

Her tongue snaked out, lightly licked his lips. "'Cause it's only fair that I get a taste, too."

Her lips brushed over his chin. Pressed against his jaw. Whispered down his throat. Adam expected her to bite him. Expected to feel the sting of her teeth and the rush of pleasure he'd known before.

But she just licked him. Long, slow licks that caused every muscle in his body to quiver.

His hands lifted, to pull her closer-but she shoved his wrists back against the bed.

"My game, remember?"

Damn, but she was beautiful.

He clenched his teeth, managed to grit, "For now." But if the vampire didn't get moving, he'd take control.

Dawn had come. Maya was weak, but the sun had never held sway over him.

Maya lifted her hips. Pushed down. Her creamy sex brushed against the length of his cock.

She curled over him. Her right hand released him. Her fingers caressed his chest. Touched his nipples. Her mouth followed the path, licking, sucking. When her lips closed around his nipple, Adam's heels dug into the bedding.

Her mouth…

He growled at the lust ripping though him.

Her left hand eased away from his, began to stroke him. To tease.

His fingers clenched into fists as he fought the urge to grab her and force her underneath his body.

Lower, lower . She moved down his body. Licked his abdomen. Kissed his flesh.

Her thighs shifted around him as she moved her body and he instantly missed the touch of her sex against his. " Maya. "

Her hair fanned over his stomach.

Her breath blew against his cock.

The sound of his heartbeat, the fast, desperate drumming, filled his ears as he waited for that hot mouth to close around his cock.

Her lips touched him first. Brushed over the tip. His shaft jerked and her soft laughter rumbled against him.

Then her tongue touched him. Licked away the drop of moisture that had beaded on the head of his cock and slowly moved down his erect length.

Her hand wrapped tight around the base of his shaft. Began to pump as she licked.

Sonofabitch.

His muscles were taut. His heart slammed against his chest. He could smell her, was breathing her in-and he had to take her.

Her mouth closed over his cock.

His control shattered.

With a snarl, Adam locked his arms around her and jerked her back up the length of his body. He kissed her. Hard. Deep. Then he rolled her under his body, pinning her beneath him.

Her legs spread immediately for him.

Her gaze met his. Hunger blazed in her eyes, a hunger to match his own.

He parted her folds, pushed his cock against her moist opening-

And drove balls-deep in one long, swift thrust.

Her legs clamped around him, her heels brushing his ass, and she bucked against him.

"More." One word, husky with need, slipped past her lips.

Adam withdrew, pulled to the very entrance of her body, and thrust inside. Again, again, again.

She met him each time, her hips rising to drive against his as they fought for release.

The bed squeaked beneath them, the harsh sound blending with their moans and ragged breathing, and seeming to drive the passion even higher.

More. The order had been hers, but the need was his. He wanted to feel more of her, to taste more, to have more.

To have everything.

Her nipples pressed against his chest and he just had to taste her breasts again. Her back arched when he tongued her nipple, then he drew it deep into his mouth.

And he thrust. Plunged deep. Withdrew.

Her fingers raked down his back. Her hips bucked beneath his.

The base of Adam's spine began to tingle. His balls drew tight against his body as his orgasm approached in a powerful, driving wave.

His fingers pushed between their bodies. Found her clit. Rubbed, tugged.

Her sex clenched around him in a spasm of release as she cried out, shuddering beneath him.

Adam drove into her one final time and stiffened. His release barreled through him, stronger, harder, than anything he'd ever experienced. Pleasure exploded, singeing his nerves and rippling through his muscles.

When the climax ended, when the haze of lust and need finally cleared from his eyes, he looked down at Maya.

She gazed back at him, a faint furrow between her brows and a wet tear track sliding from the corner of her right eye.

He stared at her, not sure what to say or do. His cock was still cradled in her moist heat, already stirring again.

Slowly, the furrow smoothed away and a slow smile stretched her lips. She said, simply, "More."

He was only too happy to oblige.

When she slept, she turned from him. Curled onto her side and faced the pale blue wall.

He didn't like that.

Adam gazed at Maya's back, aware of a simmering sense of discontent within him.

His body was replete, the voracious hunger for Maya temporarily satisfied. But…

It seemed as if something were missing.

Because she'd turned from me.

Curled in on herself. Hunched her shoulders and drifted away from him.

He didn't know how to pull her back.

His hand lifted, stroked a lock of her hair.

She didn't stir.

His fingers clenched into a fist.

Sleep pulled at her, but Maya's eyes were open as she stared at the peeling wall. Her sex still quivered with little aftershocks of pleasure. She clenched her thighs together, enjoying the feeling.

As she'd enjoyed Adam.

He was touching her now. Stroking her hair. She held carefully still when she felt that tentative touch, aware of a sudden yearning to turn toward him, to curl against that muscled chest and sleep cradled in his arms.

Ridiculous, of course.

She didn't need to be held to sleep. Never had.

They'd just had great sex-pretty amazing sex, actually, but just sex. She didn't need anything more from him.

Didn't need anything more from anyone.

She closed her eyes and deliberately pushed Adam's image from her mind. A battle waited ahead of her. She needed all the sleep she could get.

She pictured darkness, complete and empty in her mind. It was an old trick, one she'd perfected as a child when the sounds from the room next door grew too loud and she had to shut them out to sleep.

To stay sane.

Darkness. Always the darkness.

She pictured the darkness closing around her. Shielding her.

Darkness.

Silence.

Her breath began to slow. Her body to relax.

She went into the darkness.

"Bitch!"

At first, Maya thought she was dreaming. Or remembering. Sometimes the dreams and the memories got all twisted together.

Luckily, she didn't dream much.

Just saw her blessed darkness.

"I'll fucking kill you!" A man's voice. Screaming with rage.

A loud crash sounded and a woman began to cry, harsh, gulping sobs.

Memory.

She'd hoped that being a vampire would have at least come with the perk of uninterrupted sleep.

In all the movies, Dracula climbed into his coffin, closed his eyes-and wham-the guy pretty much died until sunset.

Maya figured you didn't have to battle nightmares and memories if you were dead during the day.

Unfortunately for her, a vampire's day sleep was all too normal.

She couldn't hide from her past while she slept.

Dammit.

" No, Chuck, don't! I-I'm sorry!" A woman's voice. Thick with a southern accent and shaking with fear.

What the hell? Maya's eyes flew open.

Her mother didn't have a southern accent. She'd been born and bred on the streets of L.A.

A thud shook the wall behind her, sending a tremble through the bed.

" No, please!"

"Fucking bitch!"

Breaking glass. A scream.

Not a dream.

Not a memory.

Maya jerked up in bed, glanced to the right. A faint imprint on the mattress was the only sign of Adam's presence.

Where the hell had he gone? "You'll be sorry for playin' me, Rosie."

A whimper, barely discernable through the thin walls.

She grabbed her clothes. Jerked on the jeans and shirt, didn't even bother with shoes. The asshole was hurting the woman, and if she didn't stop him-

A woman lying twisted on the floor. Mouth bloody. Bruises around her eyes-eyes that stared up at nothing.

Damn memories. She hated them.

She ran for the door, yanked it open, and immediately had her eyes flooded with blinding light.

Figured. The sun would still be high and she'd be weak as hell.

Another scream.

Maya pounded on room 206, slamming her fist hard against the door. "Open up!"

Silence.

Her fist thudded into the door. "I said," she snarled, "open this damn door!"

The door was jerked open. A big, fat, bull of a man with a pug nose, beady brown eyes, and a thick bald head glared down at her. "What the fuck do you want?"

Maya drew in a deep breath. "I'm trying to sleep next door, and the fact that you're trying to beat your woman to death is keeping me awake." Her fingers clenched into fists as she prepared herself for a fight. Without her vampire enhancements, she was going to have to do this the old-fashioned way.

Stupid sun. Why couldn't it just set already so she could give this guy the ass-whipping he so desperately deserved? His eyes raked over her, lingering on her breasts and hips. He licked his lips and damn if a smug smile didn't stretch across his face, revealing a missing front tooth. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you? Wanna come inside and play with old Chuck?"

Why were the bullies always the biggest idiots in the world? "Chuck, I don't think you're going to like the way I play." Oh, she could almost guarantee it. "Now why don't you step aside and let the woman come out." If she was even still alive. The guy's knuckles were bruised and she could smell the blood on his hands, literally.

"Rosie don't wanna come out, bitch." He put one of his beefy hands on her chest and shoved her back, hard. "Now go mind your own fuckin' business!"

"Mama?" A child's voice. High-pitched, desperate with fear.

Oh, hell, no. The bastard had a kid in there.

And blood on his hands.

She stepped forward, still feeling the imprint of his hand on her chest. A big guy like that-she didn't even want to think about what he could do to a kid. "Let me see the woman and the child."

She wasn't leaving until-

He tried to slam the door, but she had her foot in the doorway and the old wooden door just flew back.

"Wrong move," Maya whispered and rammed the bald badass back as she forced her way fully into the room.

CHAPTER 6

The door to room 204 was open. Shit . Adam glanced up at the sky, saw the sun sitting bright and heavy between the clouds.

Maya wasn't in the room anymore. He knew it without having to take a step inside, but her scent lingered around him-actually, it was-

" I told you not to fucking touch me again!" Maya's voice, filled with fury, and coming from the room next door.

Adam dropped his food. He didn't stop at the closed door, just kicked it in-and then drew up short at the sight before him.