“You’re mine,”he murmured through their bond.“I do own you, just as you own me.”
He knew how much she loved it when he got all possessive, especially when he was loving her. His hand started to move farther south down her back, and Sally chuckled as she pushed it back up.“Our child is present,”she reminded him.
“It’s good for him to see his parents are madly in love.”
“But we should keep it PG.”Sally knew that touch was something his wolf was craving. She’d been out of his sight, going through hell unbeknownst to him, and all he’d been able to do was have Morse code conversations with Sally’s crazy best friend who’d, to Jen’s credit, kept Costin in control. It wasn’t a surprise that Costin or his wolf needed something more than just a hug or kiss.
Costin growled and began backing her up toward the door. There was a wall that created a small alcove between the door and the rest of the room. “Titus, Daddy needs a moment with Mommy,” he called out as he pushed her into the small space.
“Daddy and Mommy sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g,” Titus began to sing.
“Did he just spell a word?” Sally started to step around Costin, wanting to ask their son about it, but Costin caged her in.
“If he did, he can probably do it again in a few minutes.” He lowered his face toward hers. The feral look in his eyes was incredibly enticing, and it was hard not to climb him like a cat in heat.
“You can climb me anytime you want,” he whispered against her lips and then stole her breath as he pressed his lips to hers again. He nipped at her lips and then licked them as if he couldn’t get enough of the way she tasted. The feeling was mutual. Sally rose up on her toes to get closer to him, pressing herself seamlessly against her mate. The low rumble that came from him only spurred her on.
Costin’s hands, which had been roaming and attempting to raise her shirt, suddenly left her body and slammed into the wall on either side of her head. She jumped at the sudden movement and loud sound. He slowed the kiss until finally pulling away. His breath was as ragged as her own. Sally pressed her forehead to his and pressed her hands to his chest. “You okay?”
“We’re in the hands of our enemy and I don’t know how I’m going to protect you and Titus, and I feel as though I’m starved for you. My wolf is raging inside of me, but I have to keep him locked down because if I don’t he’s going to kill anyone who comes through that door, damn the consequences. They will not take you from me again.”
“So,notokay.” She took his face in her hands and ran her thumbs across his cheeks. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
He took several deep breaths but never took his eyes off of her. “Don’t let anything happen to you. I don’t think I could handle it again. And don’t tell me what happened until we are out of here.” There was shame in his voice in that last statement. He felt as though he should be able to handle it and felt guilty for not being able to hear it and comfort her, but his wolf was just too out of control.
“It’s not a weakness to admit that, Costin, nor should you feel any guilt or shame,” she said in a firm voice. “I couldn’t stand it if they took you from me. That doesn’t make me weak. And you’re just trying to keep us safe. You know you can’t do that if you aren’t in control. I get it. I do.”
“You couldn’t be weak even if you wanted to,” he said with a small smile, and Sally felt her shoulders relax just a bit.
“I love you.” She pulled him tightly against her.
“I love you more.” His rich, deep voice reached inside of her and warmed every cold place. She knew, as long as they were together, they could face anything. Just as she was about to tell him that very thing, Costin suddenly grabbed her around the waist and stepped back from the alcove while pushing her behind him at the same time.
Sally turned to find Titus. She hurried over to him just as she heard the door open. Sally stood directly in front of Titus with her hand behind her on his back pressing him to her as she glared at the three men who had stepped in. She could see fangs protruding from their ridiculous grins: vampires. Costin stood with his feet apart and his arms folded across his chest.
The male in the center, who appeared to be the one in charge, took a deep breath through his nose and then closed his eyes and let out a low, sensual hum. “I can smell your female’s lust,” the man growled. “It’s delicious.”
It had been awhile since Sally had wanted the floor to open up and swallow her, but she definitely wanted it to now.
“I don’t fault you for noticing. And I agree it is delicious and all mine,” Costin practically purred.
“Umm, do you think maybe we could talk about something else!”Sally snapped through the bond.
“I’m not going to lie, and they’re just trying to get a rise out of me. They want me to react to them. I won’t give them the pleasure. Unless they attempt to take you or touch you or our son. Then I will gladly rip their hearts out.”
He was definitely not as calm as he looked.
“Did you three come just to sniff my female, or is there another reason you’ve graced us with your bloodsucking presence?” Costin asked.
Two of the males hissed, obviously offended at the bloodsucking comment. Sally didn’t understand why they would be offended by something that was the truth. They did suck blood. But whatever.
“We’ve come to get your female,” the middle vampire said. “Ludcarab wants to speak with her.”
Sally swallowed down the bile rising in her throat. She’d just been returned. She wasn’t ready to go back and wasn’t going to go back. She’d somehow convinced herself that they could escape, and she wouldn’t have to face that horror again. And if that wasn’t the case, then she’d convinced herself that she’d be ready. She’d have some time to prepare herself and shore up her defenses. She’d been foolish. The enemy didn’t cater to its captor’s needs or wishes. Not that Alston had asked.
“My female is not leaving this room without me or our son. Period,” he said in a very calm, too calm, tone.
“Do you really think you can take three of us on and protect your pup?” the vampire on the right asked.
