It was the Lord Protector yelling from the hall, trying once again to save the man’s life. If the captain had any sense of self-preservation, he’d leave quickly. If the vampire knew how Justice’s wolf was clawing to get out, he’d leave even more quickly.
Justice felt Wick’s beast roar to the surface when Erman rose again to his full height. He put his hand on his mate’s chest to calm him. He understood Wick was trying to protect him, but this was a clear challenge and Justice was too alpha not to accept it himself.
Erman caught his breath enough to get from under Justice’s power and run from the room. Justice listened to the captain’s rapid-fire footsteps until he was outside the cabin and moving further down the mountain. It was best he’d fled when he did.
“Have you been with him?” Justice looked down at Wick. Wick’s eyes were back to human, his midnight pupils staring where his captain had been.
“No. Never. I have bitten him,” Wick answered, nestling into Justice’s armpit. “It was a different kind of bite. Not an intimate one. It was so he’d be able to sense me if I was in danger. I don’t think he feels that anymore. I believe our link has superseded any and all other connections I had.”
“I still have my connection with my siblings and my packs,” Justice admitted.
“Then I don’t know.”
“I do.” Corrupted soul. “He has to go. Or he’s going to end up severely wounded by sunrise. The only reason I didn’t shift was because it smells too much like our sex in here.” Justice buried his face against his mark. “But even with this I was hardly able to contain my anger when he saw you naked. For him to think he has the right to do that is disrespectful, Wick. Find a replacement for him. Appoint a new Duke of Earl for all I care, as long as he’s not in fuckin’ love with you.”
“First. Do not mock my culture because I would never mock yours. I don’t know, or have a use for, a bloody Duke. Two. It was always Erman’s job to ensure my safety. In the midst of my determination to make you mine, I never relieved him of that duty.” Wick glared directly into Justice’s eyes when he spoke. Wick was his mate but he was still the King of a species and would demand respect at all times, especially from his mate. He’d be submissive, but not subservient and Justice was immediately apologetic.
He palmed Wick’s cheek and placed a gentle kiss there. “I can only hope my craziness for you will taper down.”
“Maybe not all the way down. I don’t mind a little possessiveness.” Wick rolled on top of Justice, stretching his long body, erotically rubbing himself all over him. A quiet rumble started in Wick’s chest when he rubbed his cheek along the coarse hairs on Justice’s large pecs.
Justice’s laugh was low and sexy. “Are you purring?”
Wick stopped suddenly. “No! I most certainly am not,” Wick scoffed, nipping Justice’s nipple with his fang.
Justice jerked, then moaned when Wick did it again. “You were, too. And I think you were marking me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Wick hid his smile and got up, realizing that’s precisely what he’d been doing and he loved it.
“Where are you going?” Justice propped one foot up in the bed, the soft black sheets falling between his thighs. He wanted to stay in bed a little while longer.
“I’m going to get cleaned up and then I’m getting dressed,” Wick said from the bathroom.
Justice heard the shower turn on. It didn’t matter how much Wick washed, he’d only smell like Justice. He reclined back on the thick pillows and linked both hands behind his head, thinking of something they could do together tonight since Alek was holding down the fort. It was almost seven, the night was young. He was looking forward to getting to know his mate and his new beast.
With a plan in mind for the rest of the evening, Justice joined Wick in the shower. When he pulled back the sliding glass door, he didn’t speak a word. Wick turned and let Justice close all space between them, sealing his mouth over his. Their tongues dueled for a long time until Wick finally submitted. Justice moaned his victory, swallowing the thrill and plundering deeper. He wanted to taste where no one ever has.
“Justice,” Wick gasped for breath, rubbing at Justice’s chest.
“I know.” Justice pressed Wick back against the warm marble tiles.
“You can feel it whenever I want to bite you, can’t you?”
“I feel it strongly.” Justice caressed Wick’s slick black hair. His mate looked worried.
“Is it too much?”
Justice held Wick’s face in his rough palms. He needed him to see the sincerity in his words. “It’s never too much. I can feel when you need to eat. I can even feel the degree of your hunger. I knew when you were ravenous… and it pained me. When you feed from me, it gives me a powerful sense of purpose of being needed. That’s at the core of being an alpha. That’s where you’ve reached. Your bite is special and only for me now. A gift that I will cherish. I can feel when you want to bite to be sexual, to make me fly, and I want that, Wick. I’ll always want your bite, just like you’ll always crave mine.” Justice delicately kissed Wick’s damp lips, sucking the top one into his mouth and bathing it until Wick was limp in his arms. Justice guided Wick’s head to his chest, right over his heart.