I plucked the other gold band from the box and put them together. “And this was my father’s.” Then I took out the engagement ring. “I had this made to match my mother’s band when we lost them a few centuries ago.” I lifted her left hand and kissed her ring finger. “It’s been here, waiting for you.”
Thana’s mouth had formed a cute little O, and her face was a mask of shock, but her eyes...they were filled with light and happiness. “Yes!” she suddenly shouted as she threw her arms around my neck.
“Yes?” I echoed, puzzled by her exclamation.
She pulled back and looked at me uneasily, her cheeks stained a deep crimson. “Weren’t you asking me to marry you?”
Ah, so there was the confusion. “No,” I stated emphatically, teasing her.
Her features crumpled, and I called myself ten different types of an idiot. “Baby, I wasn’t asking. I’m telling you. We are getting married.”
Her face lit up like the brightest moon, and it sent a flood of warmth through my body as well as a bolt of lust straight to my already hard cock. She put her hand out and wiggled her fingers, making me chuckle as I slid the engagement ring into place. “You’ll get this one on our wedding day,” I informed her with a wink as I tucked the bands into the box and put it back in my pocket.
“Now, about seeing you in nothing but the ring…” I bent my head and covered her mouth with mine as my hand slid up beneath her shirt to splay on her naked back. “Have I told you how fucking hot it gets me to see you in my clothes?”
I was seconds away from whipping the shirt over her head when there was a pop in the air, and Athan suddenly shouted, “I knew it!”
Thana startled so hard she would have fallen off the counter if I hadn’t had my arms around her. My head swung to look over my right shoulder, and I glared so hard at my brother that I was a little surprised when he didn’t drop to the ground, writhing in pain. “What the fuck, Athan? Did you not understand me when I said not to bother me?”
Athan’s grin was shameless as he tried to peer around me, the stupid smile widening when I tucked Thana into me so she was completely hidden. I wasn’t ready to share her yet. Well, truthfully, I wouldn’t ever be ready, but at some point, I would have to. I was pretty sure she would object to spending eternity locked in our bedroom.
There was another pop, and Athan was joined by Stephan, making me growl in frustration. I was painfully hard with my sexy consort—who’d just put on my ring—in my arms. I was contemplating the murder of my cockblocking brothers.
“You were right?” Stephan asked incredulously.
Athan nodded and crowed, “I told you he sounded different!” Then he cocked his head and stared at me expectantly. “Well? Are you going to introduce us to our new sister?”
I growled again and started to tell them to go the fuck away when two small hands pushed against my chest. Thana didn’t have the strength to move a single muscle in my vampiric body, but I immediately loosened my embrace so she could tip her head back and meet my gaze. “Don’t be rude,” she whispered. “We have an eternity to...um...copulate.”
Suppressing a chuckle at her sweetness, I sighed instead. “Whispering won’t do you any good around those two assholes, baby,” I warned her. “Vampire hearing.” Her entire face flushed pink and reminded me of the way she looked when it was covering her whole body as I ate her pussy. “Fuck,” I muttered as I touched my forehead to hers. “I’m going to lose my fucking mind if I don’t get inside you soo—” She slapped her hand over my mouth and peeked over my shoulder, her face aflame.
“Get out of the way, big brother,” Athan demanded when he appeared at my side. He shoved his arm between Thana and me, forcing us apart and pulling her into his arms. My fangs descended, and I snarled. If I hadn’t known he would feel absolutely nothing but brotherly love toward her, he would have been a dead man. “I’m Athan, the handsome, charming, and funny one of the bunch. Welcome to the family.”
Thana giggled and smiled at me. “I guess I go for the sexy, brooding, anti-hero type.” That brightened my mood a little.
Then Stephan shoved Athan away and gave my woman a hug, before kissing her on the forehead. I couldn’t wait until they found their consorts because I was going to make them pay.
However, watching the way Thana responded to them, I could tell that she was excited at the idea of having a family. And that made it all worth it.
Still...I grabbed Stephan by the throat and tossed him away, which sent him into a wall, leaving a body-shaped hole in the drywall. “Put your lips on my woman again, and your consort is going to be really unhappy to be mated with a dickless motherfucker.”
Thana gasped and stared at Stephan with her jaw hanging loose. “Holy crap! Are you okay?”
“Son of a bitch! That actually kind of hurt,” Stephan muttered as he jumped to his feet and dusted off his shirt and pants. He was lucky I hadn’t thrown him harder. But the walls were brick between the drywall, and though it was very solid, with my strength, I could have put him through that as well. Probably would have cracked his skull, which would have been immensely satisfying.
“Tell her you’re fine, so she’ll stop fretting and doesn’t think I’m a brute,” I demanded with a roll of my eyes.
Thana made a muffled sound, and when I
