Erik’s earlier words came back to her with an entirely new meaning as Vector’s feral gaze locked onto her like she was the only living being in the universe, like he couldn’t look away. Like she washis.
He hadn’t killed her that night. But that was then and this was now. Now, he wasn’t a wounded man barely hanging on to life. He was something else entirely. Something terrifying. Something beautiful.
Something she couldn’t ignore.
Her breath caught as Vector’s gaze darkened, the glowing reflection of torchlight in his eyes pulsing as if he couldfeelher, as if he knew exactly what kind of carnal, naughty, and totallyinsanethoughts were creeping into her mind. Of taking off her clothes and offering herself to him. Taking him deep and begging for more. Licking and nuzzling his body until she was drunk on the taste of his skin.
Raven swallowed hard. She was in trouble here. Deep fucking trouble.
CHAPTER 6
The Dungeon
The chains cutinto his wrists, biting deep, but Vector barely felt them. The pain was nothing. Nothing compared to the fire raging inside him.
His dragon was coming undone.
The beast slammed against the walls of his mind, furious, desperate, clawing to break free. His entire body trembled with the force of it, every muscle locked in an unrelenting vise as his dragon battled the magic of his prison, the multitude of elven chains holding him captive, locking his dragon—and his magic—inside him. The magic burned like acid around his neck, his wrists, in his blood—and nothing burned a dragon.
Then she walked in.
Raven.
The scent of her hit him like a drug—warm honey and wild roses, the softest hint of rain and…others. Their male scents lingered on her clothing. Erik. Talon. Lorien. The fucking vampire.
His dragon exploded, a violent snarl ripping from his throat as the beast lunged for her, trying to tear through the fragile grip of Vector’s control.
Mine.
The word burned through him like bolt of lightning, instant, raw and absolute.
The chains groaned as he yanked against them, his body straining forward, but Alrik’s dark elven magic held firm. Vector barely registered King Erik’s presence, barely noticed anything buther. She had no idea what she’d just walked into. No idea that the moment she stepped into his cage, she was putting herself at the mercy of a monster.
His mate. How had he not sensed the truth that night? Had he been that weak?
So close to death that he failed to recognize her?
She stumbled back. Erik’s hands caught her. Held.
“Don’t touch her!”
Mine!
His voice and Dragon’s bellowed at the male who dared touch his mate.
Erik stepped back. Thank fuck, because Vector was about to lose the battle for control.
Dragon fought and raged, cut through his heart and soul in desperation to reach her. Vector tasted the salt and metal of his own blood sliding down the back of his throat as dragon attacked him from within.
Enough!Vector’s centuries of iron control slammed into dragon like a wall of ice.
A brutal shudder racked his frame. His dragon fought harder, blind with fury that she was so close and still out of reach. That Erik touched her. That she smelled of the others. Madness clawed at him, thick and relentless. His body vibrated with the need to take, to claim her, to sink his teeth into the softcurve of her throat and mark her, so the entire world—human and dragon alike—would know she belonged tohim.
But he couldn't.
Draquonir law was absolute. No human could know what they were.
And if shedid? If she found out what he was, what he could become, before she accepted him as her mate? Before dragonfire ran in her veins?
