by Lexi C. Foss
“We’ll have more information as soon as her phone finishes downloading,” he said, leaning back in his chair. He’d changed into a black T-shirt and matching pants. Aside from the patch over his left eye—to protect the regeneration and healing process—he appeared as good as new. “Do you think Benita’s awake yet?”
I considered the damage he’d done after finding her outside with a knife in her head. “If she is, she’s in a great deal of pain,” I drawled.
“So sad for her,” he replied. “Somehow I don’t think this was what she had in mind when she decided to betray us to Lilith.”
“You don’t think she enjoys waking up to an axe in her stomach?” I asked, feigning surprise.
“I really hope she heals around it.”
“So you can rip it back out of her?” I guessed.
“This is why we’re friends,” he said, gesturing between us. “You get me.”
I stopped pacing to cock my head to the side. “Are we having a moment, Damien?”
“I believe we are.”
“Do you require a hug?” I asked, arching a brow.
“I think I’m good.”
“Then we are indeed friends,” I replied, causing him to smirk. “Want me to go check your freezer for you?” He’d installed a walk-in freezer in the penthouse, equipped with a security panel that had made me drool a little. He really did know how to impress me sometimes.
He considered the offer. “No. I’ll check on the contents in a few hours.”
“You really do want the axe to adhere to her,” I said, amused. He’d strapped Benita to a chair inside to ensure she wouldn’t be able to remove the battle axe from her abdomen. That was after he’d handed Willow the knives she’d used to take the female down.
My pet hadn’t understood the purpose until he referred to them as trophies with a wink. It’d served as a sign of affection from Damien—a rarity, but well earned.
“It’ll make it so much more fun when I walk in to play with her later,” Damien said, referring to Benita’s positioning.
“How much do you think she knows?” I wondered out loud.
“Hopefully enough to satisfy my bloodlust.” He scratched his jaw and shrugged. “Or I’ll just keep her alive for fun and visit her whenever I need a workout.”
I grunted. “She’s in for a world of pain.”
He glanced at the sleeping brunette on the couch in the corner, his eyes narrowing slightly. “The bitch deserves it after what she did to Tracey.”
I studied the petite female. “You like her.”
“She’s under my protection,” he corrected. “Benita had no right to touch her.”
“She showed great loyalty by telling you about Benita’s threat,” I murmured, walking over to stand near the couch.
Benita had given Tracey the task of drugging Damien, stating that if she didn’t comply, Benita would feed the poor girl to Lilith. Rather than buy into the threat, she’d informed Damien of the truth—an admirable and brave thing to do.
Her decision had allowed Damien an opportunity to shoot off a few messages before willingly imbibing the contents. Then he’d sent Tracey to inform Benita that the task was done, and Benita had rewarded the human by turning her into a snack before leaving her up here to die.
She seemed to be recovering now, thanks to a healthy dose of Damien’s blood in her system. I’d offered mine, but he’d been adamant about it being his own.
“Do you intend to reward her beyond saving her mortal life?” I asked him, referring to the option of turning her into an immortal.
“Would you support me if I did?”
I glanced at him. “I always support you.”
He nodded but said nothing more. Which meant he was still debating his options. Fair enough.
I palmed the back of my neck again, pacing. The download bar inched ever so slowly, causing my jaw to tick. “How long until the others arrive?”
“They won’t be here until later in the morning,” Damien said, checking one of his monitors. “They’re flying in from all over the world. Rick’s helping direct the air traffic since he insists on working through his recovery.”
I smirked. “Typical Rick.” He’d called as soon as he woke up, pissed that he’d missed the fight. “It’s going to be one hell of a party tomorrow.”
“Yep,” Damien agreed. “You can go to her, Ryder,” he added after another minute. “All the pressing details have been handled, and I’m well enough to monitor the download on my own.”
While he was right, I couldn’t seem to convince my feet to move toward the door. It felt imperative I remain by his side, not just because of the monumental discoveries lurking in Lilith’s files but because I owed this man my time. “It’s my duty to oversee this region, and I’ve not taken it seriously enough. Instead, I left you here to manage everything in my absence, and I nearly lost you as a result of my own selfish choices. It won’t happen again.”
He lifted his one working eye from the monitor, his expression holding a note of disbelief. “You’re fucking with me, right?”
“This isn’t something I would joke about.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Seriously, this feeling shit isn’t for us. You know that.”
I didn’t share in his humor. “Lilith nearly killed you.”
“And she incapacitated you,” he tossed back.
“She nearly killed you to hurt me,” I rephrased.
“She nearly killed me because she was a psychotic bitch on a power trip,” he drawled, pushing away from his desk to stand.
“Look, you put me in charge here because I’m good at it.” He moved around his desk to walk toward me. “What’s more, you know I enjoy it. If I didn’t want to play strategist, I wouldn’t. If I didn’t want to kill vampires who prey upon children, I wouldn’t. And if I didn’t want to attend meetings and tell people to fuck off all day, I wouldn’t.”
He stopped right in front of me, daring me to argue.
“You like to issue edicts and demands, but we both know I only obey the ones I want to obey. I’ll fight you when I disagree, just like I’ll tell you when I need you. And I’m saying that, right now, I don’t need you. So stop being a pansy ass and go fuck your wolf. Because after that display earlier, she’s earned a few orgasms. Unless you’re entering another century of celibacy? In which case, I’m happy to go take your place. Because that show earlier in the dining hall was hot as hell.”
“I don’t share,” I growled.
“Then go do your damn job,” he snapped. “And let me do mine.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You seem pretty damn good at issuing edicts just fine without me.”
“I learned from the best,” he countered.
“Yeah. You did.” I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into a hug, which earned me an annoyed grunt from Damien. But I didn’t care. “Don’t ever let yourself get captured again,” I told him, meaning it.
He relaxed slightly, just not enough to return the embrace. “Save the emotions for your pet.”
I laughed and released him. “Get caught again and I’ll kill you myself. Better?”
“Yep.”
I shook my head. “Do you want me to check in on the cleaners downstairs?”
He gave me a look like I’d lost my mind. “Are you playing a game of delayed gratification? Is that the purpose of this inane questioning?”
“I’m trying to help, jackass.”
“You’ll help me more by going back to Willow and letting me do my job without your mothering.” He returned to his seat in a huff, his annoyance palpable. But I caught the hint of a smile on his lips as well. “If you need a task to feel useful, then go thank your wolf for me. Tell her I appreciate being alive so I can continue being your bitch for eternity.”
“Funny,” I said.
“Actually, I’m considering a new job as a comedian,” he replied without missing a beat. “Will you serve as a reference?”
“Of course.”
&nb
sp; “Excellent.” He refocused on his screen. “And don’t ever hug me again.”
“You enjoyed it.”
He flashed me a look of mock concern. “If you consider that enjoyment, then perhaps I do need to go tend to Willow on your behalf. I’d hate for you to inflict the same mediocre level of enjoyment on her, especially after everything she accomplished tonight.”
“Keep doubting my sex life and I’ll make you watch.”
“You say that like it would be a punishment,” he drawled.
“It would if I didn’t allow you to join in,” I tossed back, heading for the door. “And for the record, you’re not invited to join in. Ever.”
“Ryder,” he called as I stepped through the threshold.
I popped my head back in and cocked a brow. “Yes?”
“For the record,” he repeated slowly, “I would have missed you, too.”
I stared at him for a moment, seeing the absolute sincerity in his features, and dipped my chin in acknowledgment.
There really wasn’t anything more to say, so I left him to manage the rest of the download. We’d talk more about the assignments later. Regardless of his opinion, it had been wrong of me to leave him here to do this on his own.
I was the royal of this region now, and I needed to truly take charge.
Because the queen bitch was dead.
Now all hell was about to break loose.
And I couldn’t fucking wait.
35
Willow
A jolt of heat spiked through my core, drawing me from the cocoon of blankets around me. My wolf prowled behind my senses, her growl a vibration in my chest that I couldn’t contain.
Ryder.
His presence overwhelmed me, his minty essence infiltrating my every breath.
He’s here.
But I couldn’t see him, the cloud of silk around me disrupting my view.
“Did you just growl at me, pet?” he asked, his tone holding a dangerous edge that had my thighs clenching.
The mattress dipped to my left, followed by the sheets softly drawing over my skin to reveal me to the predator looming over me. I inhaled his aroma, his fragrance giving me new life.
Shampoo.
Droplets of water.
And the heat of a very aroused male.
They all mingled together to create the most intoxicating cologne.
I reached for him, needing more, but he caught my wrists in his hand and pulled them over my head. “Stay,” he said, continuing the process of removing the silky fabric to expose every inch of my naked skin. “Is this gift for me?” he asked, referring to my nudity.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Mmm, good girl,” he praised, leaning down to kiss my mound.
I trembled at the touch, my body on fire from his mere existence. That he decided to lick a path to my hip only heightened my need.
“Ryder,” I moaned, nearly reaching for him again. But his eyes glinted up at me in the dark, his inner beast issuing a challenge with that look. I almost wanted to test him, just to see what he would do.
“I wouldn’t,” he murmured, reading my intent.
“Why not?”
“I’ll bite,” he promised.
My nipples hardened at the prospect, my legs tensing. “Oh, that sounds like a reward, not a punishment,” I pointed out.
He grazed my upper thigh with his teeth. “A reward?” he repeated, his mouth skimming my slick folds. “Do you deserve a reward, Willow?”
My heart began to pound. “Yes.”
His smoldering irises grinned up at me. “I agree, pet.”
I groaned as he pierced me with his tongue, his palms gliding up and down my legs as he settled between them.
There was something different about his touch. It was more potent than usual. More intense. More reverent.
I arched into him, his mouth an intimate kiss that shattered my thoughts, forcing me to focus completely on him.
He took me so entirely, his aura consuming me from the inside out.
I felt owned and protected, cherished and respected, devoured and loved.
My eyes flashed open—I couldn’t even say when they had closed—my chest beating a chaotic rhythm.
That was the difference.
Emotion.
It had always been there before, underlying every touch and kiss, but now he was allowing me to truly experience it. Or perhaps he was finally allowing himself to feel it.
I stared down at him, mystified and enamored all at once, my pleasure exploding on a surge of rapture that left me panting and dizzy beneath him. My cheeks were damp from it, my lashes lined with unshed tears.
It all hit me so suddenly that I stopped functioning.
And then he was there, kissing me, his lips a gentle worship against my own, allowing me to taste the arousal on his tongue.
“Shh,” he whispered, nuzzling me and adoring me and making me feel light-headed all over again.
What is this sensation? I wondered, floating in a cloud of erotic mist with Ryder as my only guide.
My wolf stretched inside me, content.
My vampire merely accepted what she considered to be obvious.
And my former human, who I realized was still very much a part of me, stared at the wondrous man caging me beneath his strong, very naked body.
“Mine,” he said simply, drawing his teeth along my lower lip.
“Mine,” I agreed, glancing between his dark eyes, still stunned by the emotions rolling off him.
He kissed me again, his cock nudging my entrance. “Wrap your legs around me,” he demanded, pressing into me.
I squeezed him with my thighs, my ankles locking behind his back as he slammed home.
“Hold on,” he said, his voice gruff.
I grabbed his shoulders, my nails piercing his skin as he slid out only to violently thrust back into me. “Ryder.”
“More,” he returned, picking up his pace and taking me with a ferocity I had never seen in him before.
He pistoned into me, his need a darkness that threatened to consume us both. I encouraged it—welcomed it—and held him to me while lifting my hips to meet his.
It was savage, animalistic insanity.
I drew blood.
He bit my neck, nibbled my chin, and recaptured my mouth.
It was hard.
Fast.
Harsh.
And stunningly perfect.
His beast had taken over, forcing me to feel his yearning, his claim, his need to keep me.
“Forever,” I heard Ryder whisper, the reverence in his tone a kiss to my senses. “Mate.”
My inner walls clamped around him, that word one I recognized to my very soul. “Mate,” I echoed, coming apart beneath him in a climax that blanketed my vision in shades of black. His teeth sealed around my shoulder, biting down in a way that made my wolf howl in approval.
I sank my teeth into his shoulder as well, moaning at the taste of his blood on my tongue. He growled my name, his orgasm erupting inside me in a pulsing wave of heat and bliss. His tremors rivaled mine, both of us breathing heavily.
And then we were kissing each other as though our lives depended on it.
His air became mine.
My air became his.
Our bodies were already moving again, his shaft still hard and virile inside. He rolled onto his back to let me ride him. Then later he rolled me beneath him again to plunge deep inside me. And eventually he sat up, forcing me to straddle him as he slowed the pace and stared into my eyes.
I vaguely noticed the sun, realizing we’d been doing this for hours and hours.
But I couldn’t stop.
Nor did I even want to try.
I felt connected to him. Branded. Entirely possessed.
His arms came around me as I circled mine around his neck, our tongues dueling in a lazy kiss that matched our rhythm below. He’d come inside me countless times, just as I’d fallen into ecstasy over and over again.
&nb
sp; But this pace had nothing to do with pleasure. We were merely existing together, our bodies marrying one another in a dance only known to mates.
I didn’t fully understand it. However, my hybrid nature did.
We were creating an eternal vow to each other.
Born of an emotion I never truly understood until I met Ryder—love.
I loved Rae and Silas as my sister and brother.
But Ryder I loved as something more.
My other half.
My soul’s ideal connection.
My wolf’s beast.
He kissed me softly, his tongue whispering the words back to me as we came together in unison, our bodies exhausted and depleted yet renewed and full. I started to cry, the sensation almost too much. He drew his lips over my skin, absorbing each tear as though it were his due, then he eased us back onto the bed again with me beneath him once more.
“You know what this means, right?” he asked me, his voice a low, masculine purr to my senses.
“You’re keeping me,” I told him, palming his cheek.
“I am,” he said, smiling down at me. “My forever pet.”
“I’m not calling you my master,” I murmured, yawning. It seemed like the right reply, mostly because my wolf refused to be completely tamed.
He chuckled. “You will if I tell you to.”
“Mmm,” I hummed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
“You’re magnificent, Willow.” He drew his lips across my cheek to my ear. “And I’m not just talking about the sex.”
I smiled, my eyes falling closed. “You’re magnificent, too.” I yawned again. “And I am talking about the sex.”
He laughed this time, the sound a rumble from his chest to mine, making my legs clench around him. “You intrigue me, pet,” he said, playing on one of our first conversations.
“That’s good,” I whispered. “I rather like being alive.”
His lips curled against my cheek. “I like you being alive, too.”
“Then I guess I need another hammer.”
“Going to try to hit me with it?” he mused.
Probably not. “Yes,” I said instead.
“Good.” His nose skimmed my jaw. “Try not to miss this time.”
