Her eyes flew open.

There, between her spread legs, Gabriel’s mouth was centered over her still-throbbing clit, and his tongue still stroked against it, threatening to ignite her once more.

“Gabriel.”

As if stung by a hornet, his head reared up, and his gaze collided with hers. She’d never seen him like this. His eyes were dark with passion and his lips raw and moist from her juices. He’d sucked her while she’d been unconscious. She should feel violated, embarrassed at least, but strangely no such thoughts took hold. Was she turning into a completely wanton creature now that she was a vampire?

“Maya, I can explain.” His voice was laced with guilt and regret. She didn’t understand it. She watched him shift his position and climb up the bed to sit next to her as his hand quickly pulled on her nightdress to cover her nakedness with the fabric.

She noticed now how nervous he was as if he’d gotten caught doing something he shouldn’t be doing. Well, she had caught him, but she didn’t mind what he’d been doing. Her only regret was that she hadn’t been awake for it.

“What were you doing?” she asked.

Gabriel ran his hand through his long hair, which was loose today—no ponytail. She liked it and felt the urge to sink her hands into the rich mane.

“I’m sorry. I had to do it. The doc and the witch, they both said …” He broke off and looked away.

Why was he avoiding her now? She gripped his chin with her hand and forced him to look at her. “Tell me what’s going on.”

He blinked. “You were in heat. The doc said you’d die if nobody satisfied you. So they decided that I should do it.” He dropped his lids and looked down.

“They?”

“Drake and the witch.”

Maya didn’t know who the witch was, but she didn’t care. What was important was that Gabriel had been forced to do this. He’d done it to save her, not because he wanted her. “They made you do it?”

He nodded. “Please believe me. I would have never taken advantage of you this way if I hadn’t feared for your life.”

Maya swallowed the lump in her throat that had risen at his words. He would have never touched her otherwise. Only because she had been in danger. So he still felt he was responsible for her—that was all. “I thank you, and I’m sorry that you were forced to do this against your will.” She steeled herself against the pain it caused her to know that he’d touched her without wanting to.

“Maya, that’s not what I meant.”

She stared at him as he looked up again.

“I wanted to do it. I wanted nothing more than to make you come with my hands and my mouth. I’d promised myself to leave you as much dignity as I could, but Maya, when I looked at you, I couldn’t help myself. I …” There was anguish in his face. She couldn’t fathom why. He’d wanted to touch her, and the knowledge of it warmed her heart. He’d felt something. He was attracted to her, just the way she was attracted to him.

“Gabriel, why are you torturing yourself?” She reached for his face and cupped her palm over his scar. He flinched as if he’d expected her to slap him.

“You’re not mad at me? You don’t hate me for it?” he asked.

Maya inched toward him. “Mad?” She tilted his face to her and pulled him closer. “No, I’m not mad. I’m only disappointed.”

She saw him swallow hard. “God, I’m sorry.”

She shook her head and smiled. “I’m only disappointed because I wasn’t conscious for it.”

Something changed in his eyes. There was a flicker of surprise in his irises and then a sharp intake of breath. “You mean …?”

Gabriel’s hand touched her cheek and his thumb stroked over her lips. She parted her lips and licked at the pad of his thumb. “Gabriel, I barely know you, but when you touch me, I feel alive. More alive than I ever was as a human.”

“When Drake told me you might die, I almost lost my mind. Maya, I don’t know what’s happening between us, but I know I need you.”

Her heart leapt at his admission. She wanted to be needed. And she wanted this proud vampire to want her. “Are you going to kiss me?”

In one swift move, his lips captured hers. She tasted herself on his tongue when he stroked against her and invaded her mouth, but the taste only added to her excitement. Gabriel wanted her. He’d shown her in one of the most intimate ways how much he wanted her, and she hadn’t even been able to consciously feel it. She would change this very quickly. This time she would be experiencing every single second of their lovemaking and not miss a thing.