Dani pivots away from my touch with a playful swat. "Down, boy. Save the territorial display for after our night out." She turns back to the mirror, applying a final coat of mascara. "Tonight is about forgetting all the chaos waiting for us. Just one evening of normal—well, vampire-normal—Christmas fun."
Her reflection catches my eye as she flashes that smile that always makes my cock twitch. "Besides," she adds, voice dropping to a sultry purr, "half the fun is watching you squirm all night knowing what's waiting under this dress." She smooths her hands down her curves. "Consider it my Christmas gift to you—unwrapping privileges... later."
Fuck. My dick's already rock hard just thinking about what slutty little thing she's got on under that scrap of fabric. She's going to make me suffer all goddamn night, knowing I'm imagining ripping it off her while every other motherfucker in the club undresses her with their eyes.
She knows what she's doing. She's been driving me fucking wild with those visions all week, sending me filthy images of what she plans to do to me. Teasing me with her mouth on my cock, sucking me dry while I fantasize about pounding into her tight, wet pussy. I've been a goddamn gentleman, waiting patiently for her to be ready for more, but I won't hold back tonight.
I grip her hips. "Keep it up—we won't make it to Karma at all."
"Promise?" she laughs, thesound pure temptation as she reaches for her lipstick. "Now, let me finish getting ready before Lucian breaks down our door, complaining we're making everyone late."
"Hey, testosterone squad! Get your immortal asses in here!" Emily's voice echoes through the mansion. "Kitchen. Now. That means you, broody bunch!"
Dani flashes me a smirk in the mirror before I head downstairs to find Emily's got shot glasses lined up like she's planning chemical warfare."Drink up, boys! And I don't want to hear any bitching from the peanut gallery." She's wearing that smirk that usually means we're about to be her guinea pigs.
Erik, Lucian, and I eye our shot glasses with the wariness. "What the fuck is this?" I growl, studying the suspicious amber liquid.
"It's bourbon. With a little something extra." Emily smirks. "Consider it your supernatural vitamin shot."
Lucian, never able to keep his smart-ass mouth shut, snorts loudly, "Oh, goodie, Is this like a witch's version of a Red Bull and vodka? Because the last mystery shot I took turned my piss neon green for a week. Not complaining—it made bathroom graffiti way more efficient—but a guy likes some warning before his bodily fluids start looking radioactive."
I shoot Lucian a death glare. "Can you shut your fucking mouth for five seconds without spewing nonsense?"
Erik, ever the serious one, simply picks up his glass without comment.
With a collective shrug that says we've survived worse, we down our shots in unison. The bourbon hits my system with its usual burn, but there's something else riding shotgun—something that tingles and spreads through my chest like wildfire.
Whatever the hell she put in this better be worth listening to my brother's mouth.
"May the odds be forever in your favor," Emily taunts with a knowing smile.
We enter Karma like royalty returning to court. The club's bass rattles my ribcage as we go to Lucian's VIP section—a space that costs more than most mortals' monthly salary.
Dani leads our procession, her hips swaying hypnotically. That emerald dress barely contains her curves, riding up with each step until the teasing glimpse of her ass nearly undoes me. My fangs throb in perfect rhythm with my hardening cock.
Emily and Sable follow with Brax—wearing some model's stolen face—hovering protectively near Emily. Damon shadows them while Lucian plays the perfect host with Seraphina on his arm.
The club has been transformed into Lucian's winter fantasy—crystal snowflakes suspended from the ceiling, ice-blue lighting wrapping the bar, and holographic snow falling over the dance floor. Even the dancers sport North Pole-inspired outfits that leave little to the imagination.
I'm two seconds from throwing Dani over my shoulder and finding the nearest dark corner. All the blood in my body has migrated south, making rational thought increasingly difficult as I watch that dress inch higher with every step.
The crowd enthusiastically embraces Lucian's holiday fantasy—women in tight red dresses with strategic white fur accents, men sporting open shirts with festive headwear. It's Christmas reimagined through the lens of alcohol and lust—a perfect catalyst for poor decisions and morning-after regrets.
Upstairs, Lucian claims his customary throne, pulling Seraphina onto his lap. He can't take his eyes off his angel—wearing a 'sexy' Santa-inspired outfit that Dani bought for her. Lucian's hand rests possessively on her thigh, his eyes promising swift retribution to anyone foolish enough to look too long.
The irony isn't lost on me. Here we stand—ancient beings who've decimated armies—reduced to territorial watchdogs because our women decided to wear fabric scraps in public. We pretend we had input on tonight's outfits, but that's complete bullshit. These women own us, and they know it.
I drop onto the velvet couch beside Lucian, pulling Dani onto my lap with unnecessary force. Her ass settles against my thigh, her dress riding up to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of inner thigh under the pulsing holiday lights. Across from us, Sable, Emily, Brax, and Damon arrange themselves, but my attention remains fixed on the warm skin beneath my possessive grip.
The waitress appears, takes our orders, then vanishes. My hand climbs higher on Dani's thigh, drawing a soft purr as I trace patterns on her skin. Each shift of her hips against my hardness feels deliberately calculated.
"Pace yourself, babe,"she teases through our mental link."The night's barely started. Keep those hands where I can see them... for now."
"I'm going to ruin you tonight—have you begging,"I promise, fingers digging into her thigh."I'm going to take my time, make you come apart until you're sobbing my name."
Dani's mental laugh is dark with promise."Oh, I'm counting on it, big boy, but first, you'll earn it."She grinds subtly against me."I've got plans that start with you being a very good boy and doing exactly as I say."Her lips brush my ear. "Think you can handle that...Daddy?"
That single word demolishes my restraint. "Angel, you're pushing it," I warn, voice dangerously low. "Keep this up, and I won't be responsible for my actions."
