Page 43 of Fangs

“You do not come until I say.” I suck harder, tongue relentless. “Bad girls who jump from roofs learn patience.”

When I finally let her fall, I give her the faintest edge of teeth against her clit—barely a prickle, never breaking skin. She shatters with a loud, broken scream. Fresh blood and slick pour onto my tongue. I drink every drop, growling my approval, riding her through the aftershocks until she is shaking and oversensitive.

Still I do not stop. I settle in for the long haul—slow, thorough, animal.

Hours pass in the dark. I lose myself in the taste of her, the way her body softens under my mouth, the quiet sobs of over stimulation that turn into soft, helpless moans. My cock stays hard and neglected against the sheets. The monster in me howls to bury itself inside her cunt and claim what is already mine. The man who loves her keeps the leash taut.

Not tonight. Tonight she is only worshipped.

Dawn creeps closer. I feel it in my bones, the ancient warning. Still I drink—lapping, sucking, tasting the last of her monthly blood as if it is the only thing keeping me sane.

The first ray of sunshine paints the sky outside the window in pale gold.

Only then do I lift my head. My chin is wet. My eyes are dark. Lucy lies wrecked beneath me—wrists still loosely bound in shadow, thighs trembling, cunt flushed and glistening, lips parted on soft, exhausted breaths.

I crawl up her body and press a single kiss to her forehead.

“Good girl,” I whisper against her skin. “My good girl.”

The shadows dissolve. I gather her against my chest, cold body wrapping around her heat, and hold her while the morning light grows stronger.

She is safe. She is mine.

And the monster who loves her will never let her jump again.

Secrets

Breathless, my body thrumming with a heat that has nothing to do with the summer air.

Blake pulls back, his eyes dark with satisfaction. His thumb traces my lower lip, and I feel the ghost of his touch long after he withdraws.

“You’re not going back?” The question slips out before I can stop it.

He arches a silver brow. “Where?”

“To your tomb.” I gesture vaguely toward the window. “To under whatever rock you crawled out from.”

A low laugh escapes him. “No. Not really. I am feeling stronger than ever.” He steps closer, his hand finding my waist. “Though I would rather spend the day here. With you.”

I stiffen, pulling back. “But I am not alone here. The other girls—they are in this tower. What if they find us? I cannot pretend casually as if you are just… my new human boyfriend.”

“Hell no, Lucille.” His grin is sharp, wicked. “Are you ready to introduce me as your vampire boyfriend to your friends?”

“No!” The word bursts out of me. “Are you serious? The idea of them seeing you—of anyone seeing us together—it is absurd. And you are not my boyfriend!”

He laughs, the sound rich and unrepentant. “You wound me, Lucille.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Lucy” he corrects, drawing out the name like a caress. “You are adorable when you are flustered.”

“I’m not flustered. I’m—” I stop, my cheeks burning. “You are impossible.”

He steps closer, and his hand cups my face, tilting my chin up. His eyes bore into mine, serious now. “Are you jealous, Lucille? Jealous that I might want to feed on them? Fuck them?”

My breath catches. “What?”

“That was me in the old times.” His voice drops to a whisper. “I took what I wanted. I had no loyalty. No attachments.” His thumb strokes my cheek. “But now I have only eyes for you. No one else.”