by Sarah Piper
I squeezed my eyes shut, but there was no time for licking my wounds. Darius disappeared in a blur, attacking again from behind. But when he reached forward to grab me, I leaned back, an unexpected move that threw him completely off balance. The momentum carried him forward, and I twisted out of the way, sticking my foot out to trip him. He went down hard.
Wasting no time, I jumped on his back and shoved an imaginary stake between his shoulder blades.
“And this is how you die, bloodsucker,” I said. “Well, how you get immobilized long enough for me to cut off your head. Now be a dear and hold real still while I decapitate you.”
I released him, allowing him to roll onto his back.
“Vicious,” he said, his eyes sparkling with pride. “I think you’re getting the hang of this, love.”
“Awesome.” I stood up and dusted off my hands.
Who was I kidding? As much as I would’ve loved to keep this up, I was spent. Unless I wanted to end up in the hospital, I needed a shower, some tea, and a good night’s rest before I signed up for any more beatings.
“By this time next week,” I said, “maybe I’ll be able to walk without a limp.”
“You’re doing really well, Gray.” Darius got to his feet, sliding his hand behind my neck and giving me an encouraging squeeze. “You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you, but you really impressed me.”
“Hmm. Say it again?”
“Anything for you, love. You really impressed me.” His teasing smile changed to concern. “Ah, you’re bleeding again. Allow me.” He dipped his head down and pressed his mouth to my shoulder, his tongue skating across my skin.
His lips closed over the wound, sucking gently. I couldn’t hold back my shiver.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally pulled away, his lips red with blood.
Briefly, I wondered what it said about me that seeing him with my blood on his lips turned me on so much.
Briefly, I decided I didn’t care.
I met his eyes, but there was no threat there. No supercharged bloodlust.
Only the regular kind of lust. The kind that radiated from his hungry, honey-colored eyes and straight down to my aching core.
God, he’s fucking hot…
“Ooo-kay,” Emilio said with a laugh. I’d almost forgotten he was there, still watching us from the sidelines. “Well, it’s been a blast, but I can see you two have a few things to, ah, discuss. I’ll just… I’ll go. No worries. I need to check in at the station anyway. Don’t wait up.”
“We won’t,” Darius said, still not breaking eye contact with me.
“I, um, I’m going to take a shower,” I mumbled.
“You do that, Miss Desario.”
“Fine. I will.” I walked backward, stumbling and awkward, a stupid smile plastered on my face. I felt like I was in middle school again, giddy that the cute boy from my English class finally noticed me.
But unlike my innocent English class crush, the vampire watching me like he wanted to eat me wasn’t a cute boy at all. He was a man, impossibly strong, incredibly sexy, and the best part?
He was all mine.
And we were about to have the entire house to ourselves.
Seventeen
GRAY
I’d just ducked under the hot water when I felt him step into the shower behind me, his intoxicating whiskey-and-leather scent giving him away despite his efforts at stealth.
“Miss me already, vampire?”
“I thought you might need a little help reaching your back,” Darius said, stroking a hand down my spine and cupping my ass.
Laughing, I turned and looped my arms around his neck, pressing our wet bodies together. “Pretty sure you’re the one who needs help reaching my back, because that’s my ass.”
“This? Right here?” He slid his other hand down and gave me a squeeze, and I sighed in pleasure. Darius did nothing by accident, and his firm, commanding touch was always welcome, especially when we were both naked and wet and slippery.
Gripping me tight, he lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his hips, pressing my mouth to his for a deep, sultry kiss. Hot water streamed down over us, and for a minute I lost myself in his kiss, in his touch, in our own little paradise where hunters and rogue supernaturals didn’t exist and our greatest concern was running out of hot water before we finished enjoying each other’s company in here.
But that wasn’t how the world worked.
I pulled back to catch my breath, and Darius offered a soft smile, blinking tiny drops of water from his thick, dark eyelashes.
“I hope I didn’t hurt you too much out there, love,” he said, concern shadowing his golden eyes.
“Not too much. Just the right amount.” I smiled to let him know I was okay, but he still seemed worried.
“Would you like me to leave?” he asked.
“Well, I was going to wash my hair, but since you’ve already so rudely interrupted, we might as well see where this goes.”
“Rudely interrupted? I’ve done nothing of the sort.” He set me on my feet again, then looked over the rainbow assortment of shampoos and conditioners Emilio had brought me, choosing one from the middle. “How are we feeling about…” He narrowed his eyes at the label. “Coconut Sunrise? Good heavens, who names this stuff?”
“I haven’t tried that one yet.”
“Right. Turn around, then,” he ordered, flipping open the cap and squeezing a dollop of shampoo into his hand.
I obliged, tilting my head back and closing my eyes as his fingers began to work their magic, gently massaging the shampoo into my scalp.
The shower smelled like a tropical vacation—rather, what I imagined a tropical vacation would smell like—and I couldn’t recall ever being so relaxed before.
“Does that feel good?” he murmured, his lips close to my ear.
“Mmm. I could very easily get used to this,” I murmured.
Everything inside me was melting under his divine touch.
“As could I,” he said, gently tipping my head back to rinse out the suds, making sure the water didn’t stream into my eyes. “But I’m afraid I can’t let you get used to it just yet.”
“Too late.” I turned to face him again, sliding my hands up over his shoulders.
His eyes were serious again, the space between his brows pinched.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“I just spoke with my people on the east coast. I’m heading to New York tonight.”
My heart sank.
“They’ve finally made contact with Grinaldi,” he explained, stroking my back. “But the old codger refuses to discuss this with anyone but me directly.”
I sighed, trying not to show my disappointment and worry. We’d been waiting for news on the Grinaldi front for weeks; it was critical that Darius go.
Still, I didn’t love the idea of him heading off alone. What if it was a setup? The vampires who’d attacked us at Norah’s had once been patrons of Darius’s club, and they’d turned out to be traitors. And we still didn’t know where the southern vamps who’d ambushed us at the morgue had come from, or what connections they had to the hunter.
How did Darius know he could trust Grinaldi’s people?
“Will you have backup?” I asked.
“Traveling with me, yes. On the estate itself? I’m afraid not, love. Vincenzo Grinaldi is a traditionalist. The presence of my associates would signal to him a lack of trust, ending our meeting before it even began.”
“Do you trust him?”
“Not in the slightest. But I assure you—no harm will come to me as a guest on his property. His adherence to the old customs is more legendary and unwavering than my own.”
“And you’re willing to stake your life on that?”
Darius frowned. “Poor word choice, love.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes, I’m willing to stake my life on it. Grinaldi is not my ally, but you must remember, Gray—not all vampires are like Hollis a
nd Weston. There is still honor among us—especially in the old families like the Grinaldis.”
I blew out a breath. That was something, at least.
“But,” I said, “we already know that at least one member of his clan feels differently. And for all you know, that rogue vamp could be Grinaldi himself.”
Darius didn’t deny it, which only deepened my concern.
“Anything is possible,” he said, “and I’ve done my best to prepare for the worst-case scenario. But my instincts are telling me Grinaldi is just as eager to get to the bottom of this as we are. In fact, I hope I’m able to track down his rogue before his people do; if the Grinaldis find him first, he’ll be of no use to us.”
“They’ll kill him?”
Darius nodded. “Torture first. Then they’ll kill him, yes.”
I closed my eyes, staving off images of dead vampires. In the last week alone, I’d seen way more than the lifetime recommended dose of decapitated bloodsuckers. “When do you leave?”
“I’ve still got a few hours.” His hand curved down around my ass again, stroking softly.
“Are you trying to distract me from your imminent departure?” I asked.
“No. Maybe. Is it working?”
“Not really.” I opened my eyes, my gaze landing on the squishy back scrubber that hung from the shower caddy. In a burst of inspiration, I reached behind Darius and grabbed it.
“Shall I do your back?” he asked.
“No.” I shot him a wicked glare. “I’m going to do your front.”
Before he could respond, I dropped to my knees, sliding the scrubber beneath them to cushion the hard bathtub.
The hot shower had warmed his skin, and I slid my palms up his legs, then dragged my fingernails back down his thighs, his slick muscles flexing at my touch.
“Conditions, Miss Desario,” he warned, but he was already hard for me, his body’s desire overriding his mind’s need for control.
“Your willpower is admirable,” I said. “But I agreed to your conditions for taking me in your bed. We didn’t make any bargains about this.”
I brought my lips to his cock, briefly buzzing over the tip.
Darius let out a small sigh of pleasure, but he was still trying to resist me. “Ah, but I’d much rather do this to you right now. Perhaps we should switch places?”
The idea of Darius going down on me in the shower sent a rush of heat to my core, and I was beyond tempted to take him up on it, but… No.
This moment wasn’t about me. It was about Darius.
It was about him trusting me enough to relinquish his control for just a few minutes and let me give him this pleasure.
It was about breaking down some of his walls, just a little bit.
“You’ll like it,” he said, still trying to convince me. “I promise.”
“I have no doubt about that, Mr. Beaumont,” I said, imitating his accent. “However, when that moment happens between us, it will be in my bed, and I will be taking charge, and your giant ego will be nowhere in sight.”
Darius chuckled, and his muscles relaxed beneath my touch. “You drive a hard bargain, Miss Desario. And I do mean hard.”
“I noticed.” I fisted his cock, squeezing gently, then stroking him.
“Oh, hell,” he whispered, his hands reaching down to touch my face.
Refusing to cede control, I brought him to my mouth and licked the tip, swirling my tongue, loving the taste and feel of his hot, smooth skin.
“You’re going to be the death of me, little brawler,” he moaned.
I pulled back slightly.
“Would you like me to stop?” I teased, still stroking him. “I don’t want to be held responsible for taking down an immortal apex predator with one little kiss.”
Darius tipped his face down and growled, the look his eyes hungry and vulnerable as I took him into my mouth again, deeper this time, my hand still wrapped around the base as I worked my tongue over his hot flesh.
“Don’t…” he breathed, sliding his hands into my hair. “Don’t stop. I can think of no… no better way to… meet my end. That’s… fucking brilliant.”
My vampire was coming undone, and I was loving every red-hot second of it, licking and sucking him, bringing him closer and closer to the brink.
His hands slid deeper into my wet hair, fisting it tight as I slowed down, teasing him with soft flicks of my tongue, then taking him in deeper, alternating until he was damn near out of his mind.
“You’re… killing… me,” he grunted.
“Payback for body slamming me,” I teased.
“Oh, this is supposed to be… punishment?”
“You tell me. You’re not used to ceding control,” I teased, licking a path from the base to the tip.
“I’m… not,” he admitted, his voice wobbly. “You leave me… quite unbalanced.”
“In that case, you’d better find something to hold on to.” That was all the warning I gave him before I wrapped my lips around him again, sliding down over his shaft as I relaxed my throat, taking him deep.
His knees buckled, but to his credit, he remained upright, and I sucked harder, sensing he was so, so close.
I let out a soft moan, and that was the very end of my vampire’s resistance. He came with a roar that echoed off the tiles, his body shuddering as he thrust inside me, harder and faster, his hands clenched so tightly in my hair it made my eyes water and my thighs clench, my own core throbbing at his wild, euphoric outburst.
I’d never seen him so unrefined. So unrestrained.
After a long moment, he sagged back against the shower tiles, and I pulled away, slowly kissing my way up his toned body as I got to my feet. His skin was impossibly smooth, every inch of him perfect and delicious.
When I stood fully upright once again, Darius slid a finger beneath my chin and tipped my face up, leaning down to capture my mouth in a slow, soft kiss that didn’t end until my skin was pruned and the water streaming over our bodies had turned as chilly as the autumn air.
Eighteen
DARIUS
Glowing fire, crackling softly. Two glasses of a vintage French burgundy I’d been saving for a special occasion. And Gray, the woman who was quickly forging a path to my heart.
Tonight, I had her all to myself—a rare luxury. Here in my arms, snuggling on the couch before the fireplace, she was safe.
If a more perfect evening existed, I couldn’t imagine it.
“Tell me what’s happening in there.” I traced my lips across Gray’s forehead. “What great mysteries are you pondering, what schemes are you hatching, whose demise are you so intricately plotting?”
“Nothing so exciting as all that, I’m afraid.” She tucked her feet up beneath her, leaning in a little closer. “I just don’t want you to go.”
“That makes two of us, love. But I won’t be long. Two, three days at most. When I return, we’ll have another shower.”
“Yeah?”
“You didn’t think I’d stop at Coconut Sunrise, did you? We’ve still got Peaches and Dreams, Vanilla Vavoom, Let Freesia Ring… I have every intention of working my way through your entire collection.”
She laughed, resting her head against my chest. Her hair was still damp, and I pressed my lips to it, inhaling the unfamiliar scent of her new shampoo. Underneath it all, there was still just Gray, the sweet scent of her skin tinged with a hint of lavender and lilac.
I could very easily become addicted.
“Are you staying right in Manhattan?” she asked.
“Yes. I have a flat in the East Village.”
“Really?” Gray seemed genuinely surprised by this. “I would’ve pegged you as a Park Avenue penthouse kind of guy.”
“I have one of those, too, but I much prefer the Village. Not quite so stuffy, much better people-watching, interesting restaurants when I’m in the mood for a human meal.” I leaned forward and retrieved our wine glasses from the coffee table, passing one to her. “Have you been?”
/> “Not to that part of town, no.” Her eyes misted, but wherever her thoughts had taken her, they brought a gentle smile to her lips. “Calla used to take me into the city every year around Christmas. We’d do a whole staycation thing—play tourist for a few days, check out the tree and all the holiday displays, eat until we nearly burst.”
“Did you stay right in the city?”
“No, usually on the outskirts. But one year—not long before she died—she surprised me with a room at the Plaza. She must’ve saved all year for that, but we had so much fun. Half the time we didn’t even want to leave the hotel. We just kept ordering room service in our bathrobes and pretending to be famous.”
Letting her eyes fall closed, she sipped her wine, lost for a moment in her own memories.
“What was your favorite thing to see?” I asked gently.
She answered without hesitation. “Central Park. I used to stand in the middle of the Great Lawn and look up at the sky, trying to catch snowflakes in my eyelashes. I’d pretend I was trapped in a giant snow globe.” Gray laughed, and when she opened her eyes again and met my gaze, her blue eyes sparkled. “I guess that makes me a total cliché, right?”
“Appreciating something beautiful is never cliché.” I swept a lock of hair behind her ear, cupping her face. “I wish I could’ve seen you there.”
“Maybe you did.”
“I would have remembered. Believe me.”
“I don’t know, D. Sometimes it feels like the people who are meant to be in your life keep crossing your path long before you ever actually meet them.”
I swirled the wine in my glass, then sipped, pondering her words. Perhaps she was right. After all, she’d been drawn to the Bay for a reason—all of us had, at one time or another. And by demonic intervention or fate or forces far greater, she’d become part of my life, too.
Maybe it was meant to be.
“What time is your flight?” She sat up, reaching for her phone on the table to check the time. “Should we call an Uber? You never know what security at Sea-Tac is going to be like.”
