“I’m sorry.” The tenderness in her voice almost undoes me. Compassion isn’t something I’ve ever been given, and especially not by someone like Everly. I don’t deserve it, not with my history. But I still find myself leaning into her touch.
“Thank you.” I hold her gaze, both of us moving closer to each other, on a collision course.
The need to kiss her, possess her—it’s almost too much to bear.
“I want you.” It’s all I can say as our lips whisper against each other. “I want you so much, Everly.”
She clutches my shirt, her gaze turning hungry. “I want you too.”
I lift her onto the counter and wedge myself between her thighs, then take her mouth.
She moans and tangles her fingers in my hair. I deepen the kiss, tasting and taking. She’s so hot and wet for me, her body open and inviting. I cup one of her breasts, and just the thought of sinking my teeth into her tender flesh sends a jolt of arousal through me.
I lift her, intent on carrying her to my bed and fucking her senseless, but my back door swings open and bangs against the wall.
“I knew it!” Ian stomps in with a crusty old book in his hand, then stops dead when he sees us.
Everly gasps. “Ian, it’s not … we weren’t …”
“It is,” I growl, “and we absolutely were.” I squeeze her ass for emphasis.
She wriggles against me, unable to hide her own arousal.
Ian glares at me. “It’s a blood bond. You’ve known about this all along, haven’t you?”
I don’t know what he’s talking about, and I sure as shit don’t care for his tone. “Excuse me?”
“What’s a blood bond?” Everly wriggles more.
“Put her down, and we’ll talk.” Ian tries his best to sound stern.
I bare my fangs and snarl at him.
I won’t let her go. I’ll kill him if he tries to take her. She’s mine.
10
Everly
“Vincent.” I coo his name as sweetly as I can. The last thing I want to happen right now is for Ian and him to get in a deathmatch over me. I keep my legs wrapped tightly around him. I’m guessing he can’t fight anyone with me clinging to his front.
All the blue is gone from Vincent’s eyes, and in its place is darkness. His fangs are bared as he challenges Ian to try to take me from him. Why is this turning me on more than anything? I’ve gone my whole life with a dry desert between my thighs, and now I’m getting all kinds of aroused at the worst moments.
Vincent’s nose flares, and I know he’s smelling my desire. I grip his face between my hands and kiss him. One of his fangs snags my lower lip, but that doesn't stop me. It does, however, stop him. He latches on to my bottom lip and starts to suck. A deep growl comes from him. I match it with a moan of my own. All I can think about is him latching on to my clit the same way.
“Control it!” I hear Ian shout. I’m not sure if he’s talking to me or Vincent at this point.
Within seconds, Vincent releases my lip, his tongue swiping across it before he breaks the kiss completely. He takes deep, long breaths as he fights for control.
“I need you.” His grip on my ass tightens.
“Evy. Calm him so we can all talk about this.” There is an edge in Ian’s voice that actually worries me.
“I’m yours, but I need you to come back to me.” This time I place kisses on his cheeks. It’s silly, but I don’t care. I can feel the tension start to slowly leave his body.
It doesn’t help with my own problem of being turned on, though. That still lingers, especially because I see how persuasive I can be over Vincent after only a few kisses. Not that I want to control him, but knowing I can calm him makes me feel special in ways I never have. I know Ian cares about me, but with Vincent, I’m starting to think I’m the center of his world. I know he is becoming that to me.
“I’m all right. I want to make one thing clear though, Ian. Evy is staying with me.”
“We’re clear,” Ian agrees.
“Why, sure, I’d love to stay with you, Vincent. Thanks for asking,” I joke.
“Let’s not poke at the newly-mated vampire, Evy.”
“Mated?” both Vincent and I say at the same time.
“We haven't….. mated.” I whisper the last word. “Mated is sex, right? Animals mate.” I wiggle my eyebrows. Though it does kind of sound hot when you call it that. Vincent lets out a low growl. “Sorry! Stop sniffing me.” I have zero control of my vagina.
“Let’s sit,” Ian says and walks into Vincent’s office.
“Oh wow.” I wiggle, trying to get down. “Vinny. Down.” It’s only appropriate that I give him a nickname as well.