“Stephan,” she moaned. “You feel so good.”
Her fingers dug into my flesh, but while it was sexy as hell, I needed more control. I needed to take her. Make her mine. Claim her. Possession had been riding me hard, but now it completely took over.
I gently pried her hands away and lifted them above her head. Silk ties appeared, wrapped around her wrists, and anchored on the headboard. Then I grabbed her thighs and pushed her legs back, bending her knees so they were pressed against her chest. I urged her to open up even more, baring her center to me completely. “Mine,” I growled. The sight of my cock coming out all shiny from her arousal was more than I could handle. I leaned over her, my torso holding her legs back as I slammed into her pussy. Her scream of pleasure had my balls tingling, ready to blow, but I wasn’t done yet.
Pumping my hips, I pounded in and out of her fast and hard. “Mine. Fuck! Squeeze me, angel. That’s it. Fuck!”
Bronwyn’s back arched, and her head ground into the pillow as she tried to meet my thrusts. I cupped her big, round breasts and flicked my thumbs over her taut nipples a few times until she screamed in ecstasy as her orgasm crashed over her.
Her walls rippled around my dick, and the tingling turned to bolts of pleasure as my climax slammed into me with the force of a freight train. I roared her name as I emptied myself inside her. My gums burned, and my fangs slid out, begging for their treat.
My brothers had told me about what would happen, and I knew my bite would cause Bronwyn as much pain as it would pleasure. They’d suggested doing it on the heels of an orgasm, but I decided to strike right then, while she was still in the throes of her climax.
Planting myself as deep as possible, I bent over her and swept her hair away from her neck. Hunger like I’d never felt consumed me at the sight of those two little spots. Without warning, I descended all the way and sank my fangs into her silky flesh.
Bronwyn screamed, and her body shook violently while her molecules rearranged, making her immortal. I was tossed over the edge again, drinking greedily as I came, her blood the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted.
Eventually, I felt full and sated, my orgasm receding, and my consort’s shudders began to ease. I retracted my teeth and licked over the wound, sealing it closed. Then I pulled back and stared into Bronwyn’s face as she ran her tongue over her brand-new fangs. Her expression held wonder, but as her eyes dropped, resting on the place where my pulse beat hard against my chest, they were swirling with need. I eased her legs down and released her wrists before cupping the back of her head and guiding her mouth to my heart. “Drink, angel. Take my blood inside you and seal our bond forever.”
After only a moment’s hesitation, she sank her canines into me and took deep pulls, sucking my blood into her body. I’d had no idea how erotic that would be, and though I’d just come twice, a small orgasm raced over me, and my shaft spurted more come into my consort’s womb. It had already occurred to me that we weren’t using protection, and I couldn’t help being satisfied that I’d filled her up with so much of my seed in the past twenty-four hours.
Finally, she’d had enough, and her fangs retreated back into her gums. She looked as exhausted as I felt, and I fell to her side before shifting her to lie on top of me and wrapping her up in my arms.
“I love you so fucking much,” I murmured.
Bronwyn gasped, and her head flew up, her eyes searching my face. “You love me?” she whispered after a few beats.
I smiled and gently hugged her. “You are everything I could ever want in an eternal companion. My very own angel. I fell for you the moment we met.”
Her cheeks turned pink, but her smile was blinding when she replied, “I love you, too.”
“Forever,” I rasped before sealing our mouths together in a promise of love for an eternity.
Epilogue
Bronwyn
Standing in the ballroom of the home I shared with Stephan, I couldn’t believe how much my life had changed over the past six months—like the fact that I owned a house with a ballroom. But the upgrade in my living conditions had nothing on the true bounty of what Stephan had given me. Neither did my bank account, which had so many zeroes that I still couldn’t quite wrap my brain around how much money was in there. Luckily, I had as many years as I needed to get used to all the wonderful ways Stephan had changed my life since I was immortal. But it had taken me no time at all to adjust to the best gift he’d given me.
I twirled around to take in each of the Bancrofts who were present, the skirt of my gown billowing out around me. Stephan’s family had done more than take me under their wing. They’d accepted me as one of their own. After spending so many years on my own, it had been a welcome change to be surrounded by people who wanted nothing more than to show me how much they cared. Stephan’s parents showered me with affection. Both of his brothers treated me like the little sister they adored. Their wives were my best friends. Their children were my beloved nieces and nephews.
I was a part of a big family with whom I could take down my walls because they were never going anywhere. Daywalkers lived forever, unlike my parents.
Strong male arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling my back against a familiar muscular chest. Warm lips trailed down my neck, making me shiver. “You look happy.”
I leaned into Stephan’s hold and tilted my head back to grin up at him. “Since I met you, I’m always happy.”
His bright blue eyes gleamed with satisfaction as his lips curved up in an answering smile. “Excellent point, my angel. I suppose I should correct myself—you look happier than usual.”
Daywalkers had excellent hearing, but I spoke a little louder to make sure I had everyone’s attention. I’d wanted to make this announcement while surrounded by our family, and tonight was the perfect opportunity. I’d had such a hard time keeping my secret for the past few days, especially since the bond between Stephan and I was wide open. I couldn’t count the number of times I’d forced myself to sing a random song so I wasn’t thinking about the one thing I didn’t want him to know until I was ready to share. “I have an excellent reason to be happier than usual.”
“You do?” He cocked his head to the side, a wrinkle popping up in the middle of his forehead.
“Yup.” My grin widened, and I bit my bottom lip to hold back a giggle. “One so good that happy doesn’t even begin to explain how I’m feeling.”
He pressed down on my lip with his thumb to free it from my grip. “I’m the only one who gets to bite you, angel. And mine is the only skin your teeth ever sink into. That pleasure is all mine.”
My cheeks filled with heat as Kieran chuckled behind me. “I think you’re missing the point, brother.”
“Yeah, stop distracting Bronwyn with all the sexy stuff so she can share her news,” Thana agreed, earning her a growl from her husband over the use of the word “sexy” while describing his brother, however innocently—and accurately.
I shook off my sensual fog and blurted, “I’m pregnant.”
Delighted gasps echoed off the walls surrounding us before I was lifted off my feet in a crushing embrace. Then I was promptly set back down, ever so gently. “Shit, I need to be more careful.”
I pressed Stephan’s hand against my belly and laughed. “It’s early days yet, but our little miracle is safe and sound.”
“You don’t need to treat her like spun glass,” Aria chided after rushing across the room to give me a hug. Then she turned to wag her finger at her son. “She’s a daywalker, after all.”
Everybody else got in on the hugging until Stephan pulled me back into his arms when Ronan almost knocked me over in his excitement over getting another cousin. “She’s still mine to protect, same as our child.”
I twisted in his hold and smiled up at him. “You’re going to be such a great father.”
“Damn straight, just like you’ll be an amazing mother.” Cupping my face in his palms, he brushed a kiss against my lips. “Thank you for giving me everyt
hing I’ve ever dreamed of and more, angel.”
Epilogue
Stephan
Ten Years Later
“It’s Christmas Eve,” I sighed into the phone as I impatiently drummed my fingers on my desktop.
“Your point being?” my cousin drawled.
I frowned and glared at the wall. “Don’t be a bastard, Liam. There are at least twenty Bancroft relatives here for the celebration, including your parents and brothers. They miss you.”
Bronwyn and I wanted our children to have the sort of Christmases that I’d had growing up. My wife was especially adamant about it since she’d never had this sort of experience until she became a Bancroft. Thana and Selene were every bit as enthusiastic about it since neither of them had enjoyed most of their Christmases growing up, either.
Every year, we invited any relative who wanted to come to celebrate the season with us. Most of the time, we hosted a modest number of people, but there had been a few times when it had ended up being a reunion so large we took up most of the hotels in the area.
Liam had done his best to avoid the festivities, and I wasn’t without understanding of his reasons. He’d grown up with the girl next door as his best friend, and as they got older, despite the nature of our kind and his inability to feel any sort of physical reaction to her, he’d believed himself in love with her. He spent years assuming that when she came of age, she would be revealed as his mate.
When she finally turned eighteen, Liam told her everything. But when he reached out to touch her, she’d recoiled, afraid of what he was. Then she ran as fast and as far as she could go to get away from him. Without being able to awake the connection through touch, Liam was still convinced that this woman was his fated mate, and when he received word that she’d died of cancer at age thirty, he believed he was doomed to spend eternity alone.
Personally, I’d never thought she was good enough for my cousin. In fact, I’d been almost certain she wasn’t a virgin, which would have ruled her out, but when I brought it up to Liam, he refused to believe it. I was of the opinion that his consort was still out there somewhere, waiting for him to find her.
Again, I wasn’t without sympathy for his situation. However, it had all happened half a millennium ago, and this year, he needed to buck up and get his ass to Kieran’s house for dinner. Liam’s family had been disappointed not to see him very often during their visit, and I wasn’t going to allow him to ruin their Christmas dinner because he wanted to brood in solitude, getting wasted on his own whiskey.
“And the kids miss their uncle Liam,” I added, pouring the guilt on nice and thick.
“It’s just family?” Liam queried suspiciously.
I smiled in triumph. He was cracking.
“Absolutely,” I replied. It was the truth, although I was omitting a few facts. There were a handful of unmated consorts at the party, but each one was related to someone there. Even if it was by marriage. It was unlikely that we would pull a needle out of the haystack and find Liam’s mate among them, but it couldn’t hurt to try. After all, my consort, as well as my brothers’, had literally come running to us. Perhaps fate was on the side of the Bancrofts.
“Bronwyn cried when she found out you weren’t coming.” Not a lie, but neither was it entirely truthful. My mate had cried, but she’d been cooking and accidentally wiped her eyes with something that burned. Also, she was pregnant again and cried at pretty much everything these days.
I knew it would tip him over the edge, though. Liam loved Bronwyn, Thana, and Selene like sisters and hated disappointing them, especially if they cried. The women had refused to use this weakness to force him to attend family functions, but they’d never said I couldn’t use it.
“Fine,” Liam grunted.
Worked like a charm.
“Dinner is at five.”
“I have a transport to take care of in the evening, but I should be done around midnight. I—”
“Great! You can come early!” I interrupted in a jolly tone.
“That’s not what—”
“See you a little after midnight.” I hung up before he could get in another word and leaned back in my chair with a smug grin.
“Stephan Bancroft.”
My eyes flew to the open door to my office, and I spied my gorgeous consort glaring at me with her hands planted on her hips.
“Hello, angel,” I crooned as I held out my hand and beckoned her to come to me.
She didn’t budge. “Don’t angel me, Stephan. Did you just use me to manipulate your cousin into coming to Christmas Eve?”
My expression melted into one of innocence, and I raised an eyebrow. “Does that sound like something I would do?” I asked, pretending to be slightly offended.
Bronwyn’s brown eyes narrowed, and she took several steps toward the desk. “Yes,” she responded without remorse, obviously not falling for my act. I mentally sighed. She was too smart for my own good.
After standing from my chair, I prowled around the desk and shut and locked the office door before coming to stand in front of her. “Do you want me to call him back and confess?”
Her expression turned rueful, and she huffed as she shook her head. “No. I can’t say that I approve of your tactics, but I’m happy he’ll be here.”
I stifled a grin, but I doubted my expression hid my wicked thoughts. “I think I owe you an apology,” I told her as I grasped her waist and lifted her onto the desktop.
“Um...I’m not sure—” My hands slid up her legs and under her bright red skirt to part her thighs. “Yes,” she agreed breathlessly. “I think you do.”
I dropped to my knees and licked my lips in anticipation as I pushed the fabric up so it bunched around her waist. “How about I make it up to you?”
“Yes,” Bronwyn panted as she spread her legs even wider.
I apologized with my tongue until she shouted her forgiveness while she climaxed. Then I decided to put a couple in the bank for my next inevitable screwups. After two more orgasms, I gathered her in my arms and returned to my seat, cradling her in my lap. “I love you, angel,” I murmured.
She looked up at me with shining eyes, and I felt stunned like I always did whenever she looked at me this way. “I love you, too.”
I kissed her on the nose, then mouth, before snuggling her in close while she recovered. We were interrupted by tiny fists knocking on the door. It was time to join everyone and celebrate the holiday with the ones we loved all around us.
Extra Epilogue
Bronwyn
Ten More Years Later
I struggled to hold back my tears as I watched Stephan hand Atticus several wooden stakes. “You’re going to need these tonight.”
My son’s bright blue eyes widened in surprise. “I am?”
Stephan clamped his hand around Atticus’s shoulder and nodded. “Your uncles and I spoke with the vampire council today. They agreed that you’re ready to go out on your first mission with us. We’re heading out in fifteen minutes.”
“Fuck yeah,” Atticus murmured, his chest puffing out as he seemed to grow another inch with how tall and proud he stood.
Although he was old enough to serve the vampire council, Atticus was still my son so I didn’t hesitate to correct him like I always did. “Language.”
“Sorry, Mom.” He flashed me a grin before returning his attention to his dad. “I won’t let you down.”
“You better not. Tonight is the real deal, and there isn’t room for mistakes when we face off against nightwalkers.” Stephan pulled our son close for a hug and patted him on the back. “But I’ll be there every step of the way, watching your back. Your mom would never forgive me if anything happened to you.”
“And I’ll have your back, too.” Atticus shook his head. “She wouldn’t be too happy with me if you got hurt because I did something stupid.”
I wagged my finger at the two most important males in my life. “You’d both better come back in one piece, or else there will be hell to pay whe
n you get home.”
Stephan chuckled as he stepped away from Atticus. Greta rushed over and flung her arms around her big brother as soon as her dad came to my side. “You’re going to do great.”
Even with five years separating our son and daughter, they were incredibly close. Greta started following after her brother as soon as she’d learned to walk, and he’d always made a point to include her in whatever game he was playing. He had endless patience with his little sister, and I hoped that quality would bode well for him in battle.
When Greta stepped away from Atticus, I moved forward. My hands clutched at his shoulders as I whispered, “Be safe.”
“Always, Mom,” he vowed, brushing a kiss against the top of my head.
I reluctantly let him go and forced a smile onto my face when Greta offered to help Atticus pick out the perfect outfit for his first mission. He mumbled something about needing to wear all black as they headed toward his room.
Twisting my hands together, I stared at the door they’d just left through. “Are you sure he’s ready to go on a mission?”
“Atticus is more than ready.” Stephan wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “He’s been training for years so he’d be prepared to go up against nightwalkers when the time came.”
Knowing that my son was learning how to fight and kill the dangerous creatures that hunted unmated consorts had been scary, but I was terrified at the thought of him actually going up against bloodsuckers tonight. I buried my face in Stephan’s chest and sniffled. “But he’s only nineteen.”
The Love Bitten Series: Volume 1 Page 19
