Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
I can howl all I like. He will not answer. He will not even understand what it means, and if I explain it to him, his eyes will get that soft haze that tells me I am an object of pity.
“Please, Kaja.” His gaze is softer now. “I’ll take care of you. We’ll bed down close to Meg, but I want to spend time with my consort. This is our bonding time. I don’t care that we’re not alone. Meg can ignore it if she doesn’t like it.”
“There aren’t enough earplugs in the world,” Meg complains. Her hands rest on her hips as she stares at Dante, obviously trying to keep her eyes on his face. “Now isn’t the time to bond. Like I don’t know what that means. Just lay your ass down and get some sleep. Beck and Cian will be here soon. Then you can paw the poor girl.”
The growl that comes from Dante’s throat does all kinds of things to my woman’s parts. Pussy. Dante wants me to call it a pussy. His fangs grow long. He moves toward Meg, never letting go of my arm.
“And when your husbands return, I will have a long discussion with the warrior half about the way his wife places herself between me and my consort. We will discuss why you think you have rights over my consort and your definition of respect.”
Meg’s mouth drops open, and I cannot miss the way her eyes slide away. “Wow, way to Dom a girl, Dante.”
Dante relaxes slightly, his arm curling around my waist. He pulls me into the hard plane of his body. He brushes my hair with his nose, breathing deeply as though my scent can bring him comfort. “Vampires get possessive of their consorts. Rather like Fae warriors and their bondmates. You should get used to me being a bit more dominant than I was before. And I’m hungry.”
A thrill of fear goes through me. Dante is hungry. He needs blood. My blood.
“Dante, I didn’t even think about that,” Meg says. “Kaja and I ate, but you don’t have any meal pills.”
I do not miss the way his chest hitches or the feel of his cock against my thigh. He covers the lower portion of his body with mine. His cock lengthens and hardens and caresses my backside.
“I have a consort. That’s all I need.” His nose runs along my hair. He speaks to Meg, but all of his attention seems to be on me. I never felt so attended to, so fixated upon. It is like I am his prey, but he is not going to kill me. That is not his intent. He does not want me dead, merely willing to feed his hunger.
He saved my life. I owe him a bit of blood. Without his intervention, I would still be in my cage when the ogre came. I would have died there. I would never have known what it feels like to be pressed against another body, scents mingling until I cannot tell where I end and Dante begins.
“I will feed you,” I say quietly. I am going back on what I know is right, but I seem to take every opportunity to stay close to him. I cannot seem to help myself. I will pay for this intimacy, but I will have it.
Meg nods. “There’s some space behind the waterfall. It’s nice, and the moon filters in so you can see. The grass is soft. I found it when I bathed earlier. I’ll stay out here and get some sleep.”
“Come, Kaja.” The command is still there in Dante’s voice, but there is a smoothness now as well.
Still, I hesitate. The pond is so much bigger than the tub. “I can feed you here on land.”
“That’s not what I want, Kaja,” he growls. He places his forehead to mine and takes a long breath. “I’m on edge, sweetheart. Please forgive me. It’s been a long day. I’ll try to explain it to you. This first time is important. I’ve never fed from a woman before. I want it to be special.”
Special. I understand the word, but now I also feel it. He never fed from a woman before. I never felt so close to a man before. He is the one to give me this feeling. He made me feel included. When he commands me, I feel safe and wanted. He seems to know all of my weaknesses.
Now he says a word that tugs at me.
“Please, Kaja. Come with me. Trust me. I’ll take care of you.”
No one ever says please to me. I place my hand in his.
“I don’t understand your preoccupation with water.” My hand shakes as I pull the shirt over my head and let it fall to the ground. I did not drown in the tub, but I still prefer to not go into the pond. My feet hit the water. It is slightly cool. The ground under is sand. Yes. I seek that magic memory Dante gave me. Sand is the word for this ground. I sink slightly, my toes wiggling around in the soft stuff. It feels nice.