She caressed his hair-roughened face, her heart swelling at the tenderness in his eyes. Even at his crudest, he was sweeter than syrup. “I’ll hurt if you don’t make love to me right this minute. I know you’ll be careful.”
His pained expression softened. “I wouldn’t hurt you, Val.” He smoothed his hands up her legs and pushed her shirt up, then frowned, his jaw clenching.
“Oh, baby. If only I’d—”
She put her fingers over his mouth. “It wasn’t your fault. Kiss it better?”
Kade didn’t hesitate. He lowered his head to the reddened scar under her ribs. It looked worse than it was. The scar was smaller than a dime and would fade soon enough. Luckily, the crossbow bolt had missed everything that counted and hadn’t gone deep. Kade’s lips tickled her belly. He licked his way toward her breasts, where his hand worked underneath the shield of her bra. He spread her shirt open, exposing her to his gaze.
He sighed with pleasure. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Take off your shirt, Kade. I want to see you.” He smiled and obliged.
She sucked in a breath when his chest was bare to her view. Sexy didn’t begin to describe it. He wasn’t bulky, monstrous muscle but had definition that was pure perfection. Sleek strength rippled under his skin as he moved over her, the hottest male specimen she’d ever laid eyes on.
He braced on one arm over her while his other hand wandered, and his mouth blazed a trail along her neck and her breasts. He’d pulled one breast out of the cup and fixed his mouth over her nipple. His fingers moved lower until they brushed the curls at the juncture of her thighs. She moaned and strained her hips toward his touch. He released her nipple with a pop.
“That’s so nice,” he said. He slid those skillful fingers through her folds. “Mmmm, I want to taste you there.”
She wasn’t about to protest. She dragged her fingers through his hair as he lowered along her body. His breath on her tender bits spiraled her anticipation. She quivered with it, spreading her thighs apart for him. After a moment, she looked down at the top of his head. She was panting for his tongue, and he was busy worshiping her with his eyes. She tapped his head lightly.
He looked up at her and chuckled. “Can’t help it. You have a pretty pussy, Val.” He cupped a hand under her rear. “And this, too.” He stroked a thumb over her other entrance. She gasped. His face grew tight and strained. “I want to fuck it. Goddamn. Please, Val, let me fuck it.” Another hard stroke over her rim sent a jolt of pulsing current to her clit. Her inner muscles clenched hard.
She cried out, her hips writhing against the pressure of his thumb. She’d never considered that spot an erogenous zone, but heaven help her, he was turning her on like a reactor.
“Kade!” She reached for his shoulders, pulling and scratching. “Not this time. I can’t wait. Come inside me. Now. Please now.”
He got in a quick taste of her, a long lick and a hard suck at her aching center before he lifted up and pressed at her entrance, squeezing into her tight grip. He kissed her, his tongue exploring the shape of her mouth, the softness of her tongue, the curve of her teeth. And then he filled her with the slow burn of his rigid girth.
“Perfect. Perfect,” he whispered against her lips. “Look at me, Val.” With a grand effort, she opened her eyes. His glowed as they met hers. He plunged into her again and then again, making her body drunk with pleasure. “I want you to see this, to see me. This is me making love to you.”
His words, his gaze, his touch, all drove her over the edge of rapture. She screamed into his shoulder, her legs clamping around his hips, while her body shook with release. He shuddered against her, his teeth biting into the pillow beneath her head. The jet of his orgasm slid onto the inside of her thighs as he relaxed against her. He kept his weight on his elbows. She loved the feel of his face against her throat, his hot breath spreading across her skin.
She closed her eyes and let out a soft moan. “I can’t walk after this. You’ve turned me into a wanton hussy.”
His chest shook against her. Thought it was funny, did he? He shifted to her side and cupped her chin, turning her face in his direction.
“You are the most incredible woman. Come home to my place so I can take care of you while you finish healing.”
“AKA, you want to screw my brains out.”
His brows rose in mock surprise. “Such language. Don’t tell me I’m rubbing off on you already.”
Her hands went to his face, stroking his jaw on either side. A warm surge of emotion seized her breath. She never thought she would think it of a vampire, especially this vampire, but he was a good man. He might believe himself some kind of barbaric hater of humans, but his actions had shown otherwise. At the core of him, he simply couldn’t stand the thought of any innocent, human or vampire, violated by cruelty. And he’d been risking his life to put an end to it in the only way he could.
“Kade, I don’t care how angry you are or how guilty or how sad or how anything you are. Don’t you ever abandon me like you did the last few days.”
He frowned. “I never abandoned you.”
“Could have fooled me. You left me alone.”
“Ezra was here every night.”
“He’s not you. Do you want him to take your place?”
Kade growled, his brow creasing with anger. She smoothed her hand over his forehead.
“He’s good company, but I didn’t want him. I wanted you, Kade.” Those must have been the right words. He melted against her, his hands sliding around to hold her close.
“I wanted you, too,” he said against her shoulder.
Thank God. She’d had doubts about his feelings for her. He hadn’t said he loved her, but his words and actions were enough for her right now.
He kissed a trail along her collarbone. “I guess we should get out of here before I wear you out again.”
She ran her hands over his back and shoulders and then through his hair. “It feels so good to touch you.”
She’d missed him like crazy. Even after spending nearly every waking minute with Kade since the day they’d met, it nevertheless surprised her how deeply he’d imbedded beneath her skin. Their intense physical attraction had been instant, but the gradual unfolding of her feelings for him had only grown as she learned more about the man beneath the facade.
“Goddamn, you turn me on,” he said. By now she was getting the hang of how to read him. This was his way of telling her how much he cared for her.
“Well, your language hasn’t gotten any better.” She pulled his hair until he lifted his head away from her throat. “This time apart has been bad for you.”
He laughed and then sat up and slid off the bed to grab his shirt from the floor. “Guess you should move in with me. Somebody’s gotta keep me in line.”
He didn’t look at her, but tension stiffened his movements and his lips formed a hard line. He kept his head down while he donned his shirt and buttoned his jeans. Was he seriously asking her to move in? Her heart leaped and skipped a few times before her brain righted itself. She’d call his bluff.
“I will then, and right away, too. I don’t think anyone else is up for the job.” She kept her tone light but her eyes on him. He froze with his hands at his fly and then turned to her.
He cocked his head. “Will you now?”
“Were you asking?” She sat up, hanging her legs over the side of the bed. Her pulse raced. She had to be insane to even consider this. They’d met only a week earlier, but her heart didn’t give a damn about time and it pounded against her ribs at the idea of being this close to him every day.
He half shrugged. “Testing the waters.”
She grabbed his hand and tugged him closer. “The waters are warm, Kade. Hot even.”
He stepped between her dangling legs and gave her a kiss to end all kisses. And then his cell rang.
She groaned in frustration. “Why are you so popular?”
“Jealous?” He pulled out his cell and slid it open instead
. “This better be good, asshole.” She could barely hear the raspy voice on the other end.
“Traitor!” she called loud enough for Ezra to hear.
Kade grinned at her but listened intently. She slid her sandals on and straightened her skirt out while she waited for him to get off the phone. He walked toward the window, murmuring into the cell, with his free hand balled into a fist hard enough to turn his knuckles white.
This had to be bad. A hit of nervous adrenaline made her feel shaky. She stepped next to him at the window and rubbed his back as much for her comfort as his. He glanced at her, his expression bleak, and pulled her against his side.
“Ezra, I have no choice. They’ve thrown down a gauntlet. I will answer it, but you don’t have to. None of you have to.” He listened to Ezra’s answer and apparently didn’t like it. “They’ll kill all of you for treason if I lose.”
He listened a little longer and then his shoulders slumped. “I’ll meet you in five hours. If you die because of me, you bastard, I’ll never forgive you.”
Kade called his merry men after that, but when his next call went to Ptolomy, her heart wedged into her throat. Whatever had happened was beyond bad. He was gathering backup.
Chapter Twenty-seven
When Kade turned back to Val, all color had left her face. He pulled her against him, pressing his lips to her temple. She shook and he tried to rub the tremors out of her, smoothing his hands along her spine. He wished he could protect her from all this ugliness, but she needed to know what was happening.
“Kade?” She couldn’t hide her anxiety. He tipped her face up.
“My father has destroyed my estate in Glacier. There’s nothing left. I don’t give a rat’s ass about the subjugates or the Legions they became, but he killed all those in my private service.” Rage vibrated through him. “He knows I can’t feed from…He knows.”
Val’s arms squeezed tighter around him. “I’m so sorry. Why would he do that? And what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know why, but I suspect he learned I killed some of his Enforcers. I have no choice but to challenge him.” Fuck, he’d take any other way, but there wasn’t one. Challenging his father in a fight to the death would be the toughest fight of his life, a fight he doubted he could win.
Val tensed in his arms. “No,” she rasped. He never wanted her to be afraid, but damned if the fear in her eyes didn’t warm him to his center. It told him she cared about him.
“I have no option. He’s thrown the first punch. If I do nothing, I lose everything, my heritage, my status, my life. I cannot let the Dominorum remain in the hands of those psychos.”
“Why you?”
“Because it’s my responsibility, my duty, Val. They’re my parents, and the Dominorum is mine to take. The problem is I’m too young to take it.”
“How will you get around that?”
Good question. “Damned if I know. It’ll come to me, but I don’t have time to wait around for an answer. I have to get to the Ancients before they know the strike is coming.” He tugged her toward the door, grabbing her bag on the way. “Come on. I’ve got to get you home.”
“No way. I am not sitting home alone while you ride away to your death.” She had that stubborn look on her face, but that didn’t make any difference. He was never going to lead her into a dangerous situation again, no matter how slight.
“I won’t put you in harm’s way. You’re defenseless against the Ancients. I can’t take them out if I’m worried about your safety, Val.”
She looked as though she would argue, but then her eyes clouded with tears, and she sagged against him. He looped her bag over his shoulder, lifted her into his arms, and took her downstairs. She never looked up, only kept her face against his throat. A tenderness he’d never known overcame him, tightening his throat. He wanted to hold her like this the rest of his life.
He surprised her by settling her into the passenger’s seat. She gaped when he slid into the driver’s side.
He laughed. “What? You didn’t think I knew how to drive?”
“I just—where’s your driver?”
“Somehow his application got rescinded. Hmm, I wonder how that happened.” He sent her a crooked grin. She smiled even though her eyes were still teary. He made short work of the trip, weaving in and out of traffic with precision, then pulled to the curb in front of the Towers and glanced over at Val. Her fingers had bitten into the seat, and her back was ramrod straight. He laughed so hard, he nearly choked. She glared at him.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m a great driver. I promise. You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
“But you’d scare the heck out of me. Who needs the Ancients? I thought we were roadkill.”
He kissed her hand, a wide grin on his face again. “God, I love you.” He was still laughing as he loped around the car to open her door for her. He grabbed the bag off the floor and swept her up into his arms. She was a bitty thing, her weight easy on him. She stayed unnaturally quiet on the trip up to his penthouse, but he couldn’t see her face. She had it tucked against his chest, and her pale hair fanned across it.
He started for the bedroom, but she pulled on his shirt. “Sofa,” she said. Her voice was muffled. He did as she asked, settling her into the cushy corner. After a trip into the hallway, he returned with some velvety blankets and a pillow, and then he brought her a glass of ice water.
“Hungry?” he asked. She shook her head. He crouched and lifted her hair from her face. She’d been crying. Hard. He stroked the tear tracks down her cheeks. “Please don’t cry. You’re killing me.”
“S-sorry. I hate to cry. I d-don’t want you to d-die.”
He sank onto the cushion next to her and hugged her tightly against him. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, you faithless bitch.”
She laughed until hiccups took over. When she looked up at him, his heart stopped and started and stopped and started, utterly as confused as his mind. Even with her slightly puffy eyes, every cell in his body responded to her. She was his tiny little fae lover, and it blew his mind that she wanted him, that she cared for him.
“If you abandon me again, I’ll castrate you with my own hands.”
He grinned. “You promise?” Her expression sobered, and he did his best to reassure her. “I’ll come back, Val. If I have to walk naked through hell to get to you, I’ll come back.”
His cell rang again. She rolled her eyes and curled up in the sofa’s corner. “More bad news, of course,” she grumbled.
He answered, and it wasn’t great news, but he wouldn’t exactly call it bad news either. Ian had flashed to the Ancients’ mansion to keep an eye on them so Kade had advance warning if his parents gathered military force. So far, there’d been no sign of such activity, which meant he’d be clear to challenge his father alone. However, Graham had shown up and was welcomed into the mansion. An hour later, there’d been no sign of the man’s departure.
Kade hung up and then debated whether he should share this news. Val cared about the guy, and it would upset her. She snuck a sidelong look at him and bit her lip. Damn, he wanted to lick and nip right there, too. He shook his head. She’d want to know what was going on. Well, hell.
“Ian saw Graham go into the mansion. It’s been an hour, and he hasn’t left yet.” He took her hand. “I’m sorry, baby. It doesn’t look good for him.”
She nodded. “He made his choice.”
“You’re taking this better than I thought you would.”
“He nearly got us killed, Kade. My heart’s not broken over him.” She twisted the edge of a blanket in her hand. “Maybe a little bruised. I don’t understand why he’s working for them. He had a thing for the Domina, but it’s still confusing. The last night I saw him, he was at the VLO late working in the dark. I never thought to ask what he was doing.”
“Maybe nothing relevant.”
“I don’t think so, but I guess we won’t know until we get him.”
Kade leaned over
her, pressing her back into the sofa. “Damn, you’re sexy.” He caught her mouth with his, taking what he could before he had to leave. When he sat back, her fingertips went to her lips.
“You’re so good at that,” she said.
“Gotta keep practicing, though. Be ready when I get back.” His attempt at levity did nothing to lift her spirits.
“Just come back.”
He wished he could annihilate her worries, but it was difficult when he knew the odds were against him. He’d have his team there in case the Enforcers showed up, but he’d have to challenge each of his parents to take the throne from them. Even with none of the Enforcers at the mansion, taking on two of the Ancients could end him no matter how badly he wanted to live for Val. He couldn’t share his dread with her. He kissed her once more, and then headed out to meet his makers, literally. And likely his untimely death.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Val waited, but it wasn’t with an iota of patience. She wanted to scream. Her leg tapped a mile a minute as she counted how long it would take Kade to get to his car and head toward the mansion. He could not find out she planned to follow him, or he’d put a stop to it. He really believed she’d sit around like a princess while he put his life on the line. Had he forgotten that she was VLO?
No humans knew more about putting down bad vampires than the VLO.
With a scowl, she pulled out her cell and called Alice.
After getting off the phone, she pulled on a pair of jeans and tennis shoes from her bag. Next, she raced down to the plaza to catch the ride Alice had sent her way. At the back of her mind, she kept track of the lead Kade had on her. He wouldn’t have flashed there. He’d told Ezra it would be five hours, and one hour had passed already since they’d left the hospital. If he wanted to be in any shape to take on the Ancients, he’d have to travel there the old-fashioned way.
The driver Alice had sent was truly crazy. If she’d been nervous about Kade’s driving, this man would have imbedded her into the seat. Even so, it didn’t override her persistent worries about Kade’s safety.
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