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1128 Words
He glanced at his beautiful mate across the room. She was fewer than ten feet away, yet she felt like a million miles. He wondered what was going through her mind. She sat patiently, waiting for him.
“What’s the holdup, wolf?”
Okay, maybe not that patiently. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Start with the dart.”
The dart. He could handle that. It wasn’t as bad as the rest. “While dealing with the kids abducted and taken to the club and finding out who was in charge of that, I heard things here and there about someone wanting to get rid of you.”
She gasped. “Me? What the hell did I do?”
“You mean besides stopping a human trafficking ring, killing the southern clan’s leader, destroying dozens of his followers, burning down the only place for your kind to go—”
She held up a hand and stood. “Okay, I get it. Yes, I did some things. But those assholes were in the wrong. And they don’t f*****g see that. He broke the rules and they want to punish me!”
He whipped up from the recliner and stood in front of her. “Who wants to punish you? I’ll rip their f*****g throats out before they touch you.” A low growl rumbled in him. She gently placed a hand on his chest. Fear, love, anger, compassion, desire poured through him. But no hate. Could that be true, after so many years? He scooped her hand and brought it to his lips as he did earlier and kissed each finger. “Tell me what’s going on. I’ll protect you.”
When he saw the corners of her luscious mouth turn up, he realized what he said to one of the strongest creatures alive. “Okay, you probably don’t need protecting, per se. But nonetheless, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
“Ah,” she said. “So you tranqued me in front of the clan’s house so they would think you planned to kill me.“ Her eyes softened and became glassy. “You really want me to be safe, don’t you?”
He took a quick second to analyze his feelings. No anger came when he thought of his family. He missed them, but he didn’t hate her because of it. “I do.”
Aria raised onto her toes and hesitantly pressed her lips to his. Holy f**k. His body temperature shot through the roof. He was going to combust with the heat and desire roaring through him. He couldn’t breathe, didn’t want to if it meant she had let go of him. He would die a happy man. Wait, he couldn’t protect her from those who want to hurt her if he was dead.
He hated to, but he pulled away. “You’re not trying to distract me to keep from telling me what’s going on, are you?” She lowered her heels to the ground and smiled.
“No, of course, not. But I can handle it—”
“I know you can and will,” he got in before she finished. “I just want to know in case it pertains to why I put a dart in your back.”
“Oh,” her face scrunched, “I guess we should share information. Just in case.”
Holding her hand in his, he guided her to the sofa, sat, then pulled her to sit between his legs and lean back on him. Damn, finally in his arms again. He was in heaven. The scent of her hair was intoxicating. He wanted to lay kisses down her neck, place a bite on her shoulder. Whoa, slow the train. One step at a time.
She sighed. “The Vampire High Council has me under investigation for the murder of that asshole, Filip.”
He frowned, not liking her words. “But he was in the wrong. Not you.”
She pursed her lips. “I know, right? That’s what I keep saying. They don’t seem to get it.”
“What’s not to get? He was kidnapping females for blood. Not to mention working with a psycho wolf. So they have no case,” he said.
“That’s my thought. Penelope, Julian, and Zane are in Spain trying to reason with the dipshits.”
“Spain? Why there?” he asked.
“That’s where all the elders and our ‘government’ is. My grandfather came to America fleeing persecution.”
His body involuntarily jerked at the mention of her ancestor. He tried to cover it by hugging her tighter. Epic fail.
She twisted to see his face. “What’s wrong? Why did you flinch?”
In his most innocent voice, he said, “Who me? Did I flinch? I didn’t flinch.”
She grunted. “I can smell a lie just like you can, wolf.”
Oh, s**t. She could. He reached up and pinched her nose closed. “I didn’t flinch.”
“Hey!” She slapped playfully at his hand. “Get your grubby paws—”
“Grubby paws?” He feigned surprise, then a sly smirk. “I’ll show you grubby paws.” He slid his hands up her ribs and started tickling. She yelled out a laughing holler and wiggled around, trying to pry his fingers from her sides. That wasn’t happening. If he had his way, his hands would never leave her body.
Oh, f**k. His d**k turned to rock when her ass slid up and down his front. This would lead to only one place. And he wasn’t going to drag out getting there.
Clothes came off faster than a heartbeat. She slid her hands up his warm body to his shoulders, digging her nails into his biceps. She’d never been with a man who’d made her this hot. This…desperate. Other men had been vampires and the humans she’d always been careful with, afraid to break them.
Gliding forward, she rubbed her body on his. The steel length of his c**k pressed at her belly, long and hard. She couldn’t help herself and dropped one hand, gripping him. He tore away from her. “f**k, sweetheart.” He looked deep into her eyes. “I love this. Your hands on me. Touch me.”
Her throat turned Sahara Desert dry. She slipped her hand down his washboard abs and within seconds she filled her hand with his c**k. The hard bar pulsed in her grasp. Hot. Goosebumps rose over her skin as she slid her hand up and down his length. He kissed her neck, chest, and seized her n****e with his lips. Her breath hitched.
- Writer
