“You tried to give me up, remember?” She practically growled. “I didn’t let you.”
His chest vibrated with his wolf’s growl. “You are a demanding little thing.”
“You’ll get used to it,” she teased. “And you’ll learn to love it.”
“I already do. I love you, Tenia. I love our son. And whatever our future holds, I will fight to my last breath to keep you both.”
She ran her hand up his shoulder to the back of his head and pulled him down closer. “Let’s worry about that when the time comes. For now, let’s try to keep Myanin from turning our boy into a foul-mouthed hoodlum and enjoy this reprieve we have from all the crap going on outside of these walls.”
“I think we can manage that.” He brushed his nose against hers before pressing their lips together. Tenia loved the way Skender kissed her, as if his very life depended on it. He didn’tjustkiss her. He devoured her. She loved that his entire focus was solely on her. She could feel him searching in her mind for what she wanted or what she was feeling. He desired to give her those things, not just outside their room but inside as well.
“A well-satisfied mate is a happy mate,” he murmured against her mouth.
She laughed. “Is that so?”
He nodded. “How am I doing?”
“I’ll tell you in the morning.” Tenia tugged on him. He acquiesced to her wishes by blanketing her body with his much larger one.
Skender buried his face in her neck, and she felt his teeth scrape her flesh. A shiver ran through her, and he chuckled. “You like that.” It wasn’t a question.
“Shut up and do it again.” She growled at him, which only made him laugh more. His laughter stopped the second her fingers danced across his skin. She applied a small amount of her power to her touch. This time, it was his form that shuddered, and he even moaned. Tenia couldn’t help but smile. She loved she had this effect on him. “Close your eyes,” she instructed him. She pulled more on the power inside of her. Her hands warmed as she pressed them tighter against his bare flesh. Skender sucked in a breath as Tenia let it flow from her and into him. She pictured the fae magic that lived inside of her flooding his body, moving under his skin, hitting every nerve, lighting up the pleasure sensory areas of his brain.
Skender cursed under his breath. “That’s new.” He was breathless, but there was still a growl in his tone.
“You’re not the only one with all the tricks,” Tenia murmured, her lips close to his ear. She could feel every inch of him press closer to her, and she soaked up the heat from his skin. It was the first time she’d used her power during an intimate moment with him. It made her feel vulnerable, but Tenia wanted him to know all of her. She didn’t want there to be anything between them. She reached through their bond and shared her needs with him. It was something she’d been a little shy of at first, but when she felt the pleasure it brought him, to know how he could provide for her in every way, even in their love life, she happily gave him what he needed.
“And I will happily give you what you need, my female.”His deep voice rumbled through her mind while his hands wandered over her body. Tenia forgot the worries from the day and let herself be consumed by her mate, her lover, and the man who’d become her best friend. Though she had to make sure Myanin didn’t find out that last bit of information or the djinn might just challenge him to a fight to the death.
“Maybe a little less thinking about your unstable djinn friend and more thinking about what your male is doing to your body,” he grumbled just before his teeth sank into her neck, remarking his bite.
Chapter 10
“Many times I have wanted nothing more than to destroy every singleCanis lupusI could find. I would say they are little more than dogs, but that would be an insult to the dogs. But I’ve discovered that my enemies might be suitable for something more than complete eradication. How could I have guessed that one day modern science would make something so extraordinary happen? And now I stand on the brink of the biggest discovery in supernatural history. A new species. A stronger species. Unfortunately, there is one teeny, tiny detail that I did not consider. That damn true-mate bond.” ~ Cain
Finn and Cain walked through an open space in a building the size of a warehouse. Row after row of bodies lying perfectly still surrounded them on either side. The wolf looked around at the prone figures. “I’m seriously doubting my decision to accompany you, Cain, king of vampires. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many lifeless bodies.”
Cain scoffed. “They’re not lifeless, wolf. Look at their chests. They rise and fall.”
“Okay, so what are they doing here? Are they just juice boxes for your vamps?”
“Good grief.” He sighed. “You realize we do more than just drink blood, right?” He paused and looked at the wolf.
Finn frowned. “Not really.”
“So you think our sole existence is just feeding off every human that walks too close?”
The wolf nodded. “Pretty much.”
Cain rolled his eyes. “I suppose that is my predecessor’s fault.” He motioned for Finn to continue to follow him. “As I told you when I met you, I want more for my race. I want them to have something better than they do now. And if I am successful, then they will have more control of their urges.”
“Um, yeah. Something tells me there’s more to it than that.” Finn paused and stepped closer to one of the prone forms.
Cain stopped and turned to watch the wolf.
Finn leaned down until his face nearly touched the neck of an unconscious male. He took a deep breath through his nose. Then he bared his teeth, and his head snapped over to Cain. “He’s a dormant.”
Cain inclined his head. “He is.”
