Shadowed

Jase chuckled. “Well, maybe you do know.”

She inhaled and then exhaled. “I understand your motivations.”

“What about yours?” He frowned. “You could mate any vampire and certainly don’t need to follow the Coven Nine’s dictates that it be me.”

“I need to mate to stay alive, and since it’s not for love, it might as well be for the good of my people.” She sipped her wine, allowing the taste of oak to soothe her nerves. “The treaty with your people will assure mine stay safe as the war continues.” Plus, even damaged, the vampire was male and hot. Though she’d die before she told him that. A tiny voice in the back of her head whispered that maybe she could save him. She could be the one to help the wounded warrior and actually find love. Aye, she was a moron.

He nodded and focused on his hands. “I, ah, need to tell you that it’s been awhile. I mean, for me.”

Heat spiraled into her face. “Oh. Well, actually, me, too. Since I’ve been sick.”

Whiskers rustled when he rubbed his chin. “I work out a lot, and I try to breathe deep, but sometimes . . .”

“The anger takes over?” she asked softly.

His gaze met hers. “Yeah. You empathic?”

“No.” She set down her wineglass. “You’re the angriest person I’ve ever seen. No empathic abilities needed.” The fury was eating him up inside, and it hurt to watch. Why hadn’t his brothers gotten him help?

“Yeah, well, I don’t want to hurt you.” His nostrils flared. “I’ve asked Kane to obtain dampening pills for the mating.”

Her head jerked back. Oh no, he hadn’t. She sat back and crossed her arms. “No way. No dampening pills.”

“Yes.” His jaw firmed. “I insist.”

“Oh good, our first fight.” Dampening pills had been used for centuries when a vampire mating was arranged. It took the edge off for the female and combined some sort of pain reliever with a relaxant. “I will not use dampening pills.” Did he think she was some hapless human?

He hesitated. “Please.”

A low laugh rolled from her stomach. “That had to hurt.”

“You have no idea.” His upper lip quirked. The man was dominant and used to giving orders. No doubt asking went against his every instinct.

“I’m not less than anybody else.” For her entire life, she’d had to prove her worth and that she wasn’t some anomaly. For her one mating, she intended to be strong enough to engage completely. “No dampening pills.”

Watchful intelligence lived in his gaze. “When you bit me yesterday, my blood should’ve made you stronger for days. Yet it only lasted a couple of hours.” He reached for her arm and tugged her off the sofa.

“I’m not weak.” She landed on her knees between his legs. What was he doing? Heat uncoiled in her gut.

“I know.” Threading both hands through her hair, he tilted her head back until she looked up at his angled face. “But you’re not strong right now, either.”

Her neck elongated. Vulnerability and need washed through her. She dug her nails into his hard legs. “I will be. After we mate.”

A dark flush covered his high cheekbones. His eyes flashed into a sizzling green. Heat from his thighs pressed in on her. “Speaking of which, are you all right with the contract?”

Flattening her hands, she pushed away to stand.

But she didn’t move. The vampire easily kept her in place.

She tilted her head, intrigue and warning swishing through her. Without question, she was out of her element with the formidable Kayrs brother. “I’d prefer not to be on my knees as we discuss this.”

His eyes darkened.

Hers widened.

Lowering his head, his lips brushed her jugular. “You’re so strong you don’t need dampening pills? Then get off your knees.” Low, rough, his voice rumbled right through her skin.

A long shiver wandered down her spine. She swallowed. Aye. Definitely out of her element. She pushed again, this time putting all her strength into it, and once again didn’t move. “Stop playing games,” she breathed.

“Who’s playing?” His fangs slid into her flesh.

Pain. Dark pleasure. Need. Hurt edged with a sharp desire spiraled through her to pound between her legs. God. She arched her back, her mouth opening. He drank deeply, taking what he needed—taking what he wanted.

A low growl rumbled from his chest.

Rough, his tongue sealed the wound. The fingers on her head flexed, shooting erotic pain along her scalp. He lifted until his gaze met hers, his face an inch from hers. His lips within reach.

Lust and determination tightened the skin across his sharp bones.

Her chest panted out breath.

He slid to the edge of the chair and loomed over her, his thighs bracketing her. Trapping her. Then his mouth covered hers. The kiss the other day had been nothing. A mere meeting of mouths.

This one was Jase Kayrs in full force. Deep and hard, he took. Holding her where he wanted her, he did as he pleased. Dark pleasure cascaded from him and heated the air around them.

She opened to him, helpless beneath his onslaught. His tongue claimed her mouth, learning every curve. Firm lips, strong hold, devastating motions. All she could do was feel. So much pain, so much pleasure, so much damn demand. He tasted of red wine and determined male. The world narrowed to him.

The kiss went on forever. He didn’t touch her anywhere else, yet her entire body burned for him. Desperate and primed. Slowly, he softened his assault and leaned back.

Clarity rushed into her brain. She’d never be able to match him. He watched her, his eyes hard, his sharp features wearing that male expression that said, I warned you. Now you’re on your own.

Deep down, where reality and hope commingled, she understood without a doubt he’d break her heart. Even deeper, she knew it was too late to turn back.

He had warned her.

Jase stared at the little witch as his cock tried to punch through his pants. The woman was sexy as hell. The soft sound she’d made in the back of her throat as he’d kissed her had almost pushed him over the edge. Even now, with her soft gray eyes unfocused on him, temptation rode him to strip her bare.

What he wanted wasn’t soft, and it sure as hell wasn’t pure.

Her scent of night jasmine and vanilla filled his senses, while her dark hair curled around her shoulders, tangled from his hands. Those too-knowing eyes had taken on the hue of a lake during a storm, gray and mysterious. Her T-shirt outlined hard nipples. A primal being inside him reveled in having her on her knees before him. He hated himself for that as much as for everything else.

He wanted so badly to sample her bare skin. The woman probably tasted like candy. Her blood tasted like forever.

There was no forever for him.

Even so, as her nails dug into his legs like he was her lifeline to reality, no doubt whispered in his mind that she was his lifeline. Even temporarily, while in her presence, he was alive again. Finally.

An ache pounded through his wrist. He frowned and released her hair. Slowly, he drew back his arm and turned over his hand.

The Kayrs marking.

An intricate K circled with Celtic knots now pulsed with life on his right palm. The marking that transferred to a mate during the mating process. Shock filled him that he hadn’t had to force it into existence.

Brenna gasped. “When?”

“Just now.” His voice was more gravel than tone.