by Marcy Jacks
James shivered. He tried to breathe, but it was difficult. “I don’t deserve you. You have to know that. Everything I’ve done…”
“You can make up for it,” Taylor said. “Just…make up for it when you’re with me.”
James should say no. It would be the best thing if he said no, returned Taylor to his home and friends, and then left him where he would be safe so James could find a way to make amends.
But he wouldn’t do that. Because he wasn’t a heroic person. He wasn’t a good man, and if his mate wanted to keep him here, with him, then he wasn’t going to say no.
Because that’s what they were. Taylor was right. They were mates, and James could never give him up. Not now. Not ever.
“I’ll take you back home tomorrow and then meet with your new alpha. If he’ll have me, then I’ll stay. If he won’t, then, like you said, I’ll just kidnap you again.”
Taylor’s smile was blinding, and when he kissed James, the heat and love he felt for this man consumed him.
For once, it felt good to be bad.
Epilogue
Josh puffed for breath. He was too hot. He couldn’t help it. He needed to take his mask off.
“What are you doing?” His brother grabbed his hand, took his mask, and actually tried to shove it back over his head.
Josh pulled away from him. “I can’t breathe. Leave it off.”
“Put it back on.”
“It doesn’t matter if we take it off right now anyway. Varrick will know we left by now.”
Zane had nothing to say to that. He looked at Josh, and though Josh couldn’t see his eyes through the mask, he knew his brother was thinking about it.
Leaving their vampire employer was either going to be the smartest thing, or the dumbest thing, they’d ever done.
Josh hoped it was the right decision.
Finally, Zane pulled his mask off. He sucked back a heavy breath when his face was free. Sweat made his face shine and his cheeks flush.
The heat had clearly been getting to him, too.
“Any water left?”
“A little,” Zane said, handing him a flask. “Take the rest.”
The car ride here had been one thing, but they’d only been able to go so far on the road before running on foot was the better option.
They needed to throw off anyone Varrick sent after them as much as possible. At least until they made it back to the dragon stronghold.
“We should almost be there anyway. I swear, I think we’re almost on top of it.”
“Good,” Zane moaned, walking ahead. They were no longer running, and barely wobbling. “If the dragons don’t kill us then I’ll ask them for some ice water.”
Josh felt guilty for taking the last mouthful of water at his brother’s words, but Zane wouldn’t have offered if he couldn’t handle it. Josh told himself that over and over in his head as he followed slowly behind his brother.
The red dragon Varrick hated so much, the one who had kidnapped Sorin and took the house where Josh and his brother worked, was where Josh wanted to go.
Sethraghck had saved Josh’s life. Sort of. More like had mercy on him. Josh had been one of the guards on duty during the attack, and the dragon had shown mercy and not killed him.
Better than that, the man even let Josh take his unconscious brother away with him so Zane wouldn’t be hurt or killed either.
That was why Josh had left his vampire employer and why he’d managed to convince Zane to come with him.
Taking a chance on the red dragon had to be better that sticking it out with a vampire who killed so many of his own friends and family.
The only problem was Josh was tired, hungry, and thirsty after so long of traveling on foot. He’d never come to the property from this direction, and he was starting to wonder if he’d taken a wrong turn.
He should have brought a map and compass, but he and Zane had taken pretty much only what they could fit in their pockets.
If they were going to betray one of the most powerful vampires, then it was probably best to not do something as obvious as pack his bags before leaving. That might be a dead giveaway.
Maybe it was because Josh was so tired that he didn’t see, or sense, the threat until it was too late. When the arm stretched out, and when he spotted it in his peripheral vision, the hand was already around his throat, cutting off Josh’s airways and yanking him back hard against…
A powerful, naked body. He could actually feel the length of the man’s cock behind him, and for some reason, that fact didn’t terrify him like it should have.
The voice that purred in his ear made him shiver, and melt.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here? A cute little human who smells and looks like a vampire boot licker? That sounds like fun.”
THE END
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