Chapter 23
Bending down until his lips were nearly touching his mate’s neck, Brady paused for a moment, inhaling the rose scent wafting up from Lucius. It was perfect, exactly what he would have wanted if the Fates ever would have asked. “This might hurt a bit since I don’t have fangs,” he whispered, his breath skittering over his mate’s skin.
A shiver went down Lucius’ spine as he felt the light, warm air caressing his neck. Need rose within him, a feeling new to his body. “Doesn’t matter…just…please do it!”
Swallowing his nervousness, Brady did as asked. Biting down where Lucius’ neck met his shoulder, his teeth easily broke through, blood filling his mouth, Moaning at its rich taste, Brady’s cock grew hard as a thread of magic entered his heart, tying it to his mate’s and giving Brady immortality.
Lucius was unprepared for the effect of his mate’s bite. Expecting discomfort, he felt none, although that could not be said of the death spell as it left his body. Pain worse than anything he’d previously felt flashed through him like a lightning bolt, burning him from the inside out. But before he could cry out, an icy cold sensation followed, bringing him the first relief he’d had since the night he was turned. Then, his mate’s love flooded his senses, overwhelming him, causing tears to fall from his eyes. The last time he’d received such abundant affection was in his childhood—a lifetime ago. Sighing, Lucius closed his eyes as peace flooded his soul.
Brady didn’t want to stop. The connection between them was amazing, affecting every part of his body and mind. It wasn’t what he’d expected, but he appreciated it so much more now that he could fully grasp what his mate had gone through before arriving at the vineyard. Reluctantly withdrawing his teeth from his mate’s tender skin, he watched his bite mark slowly heal itself. Rubbing a fingertip over the scar left behind, Brady smiled at the trembling of Lucius’ body.
Raising his head until his lips were hovering over Lucius’, Brady waited until his mate opened his eyes. Gazing into those deep, violet orbs, he saw the shadow of pain was gone, reminding him of the ocean’s calmness on a late summer’s day. Feeling the need to taste his mate’s mouth, but hesitant to force himself on Lucius, Brady whispered, “May I?”
Puffs of air from his mate’s words teased Lucius, tantalizing him as he imagined how Brady’s lips would feel against his. Suddenly craving that intense connection, he decided not to wait, raising his head until his lips finally touched his mate’s. Mewling at the softness of them, Lucius pressed harder, wanting…no,needingto be consumed by them. He’d never felt this way, never knew hecouldfeel this way. Moving slowly, Lucius’ lips devoured his mate’s, mapping them out in his mind. It was sheer heaven.
Responding to his mate’s actions, Brady’s body overflowed with exquisite pleasure—more than he’d ever thought possible. Sticking out the tip of his tongue, he pressed it against Lucius’ lips, seeking entry into his mouth. Seizing the opportunity when his mate gasped, he slid his tongue in, searching for and finally finding the object of his desire.
It only took Lucius a moment to wrap his tongue around Brady’s. Groaning deep in his throat as he tasted his mate, the need for Brady overwhelmed him until nothing else mattered except the two of them. And that’s when Lucius lost his heart to the warlock without magic.
When Brady lifted his head slightly to take a deep breath, the tiny sounds of his mate’s objection floated into the air, causing him to smile. Staring down into the lust-filled eyes of his mate, he slowly ran his hand down the side of Lucius’ face, stopping at his jaw. Brady murmured, “Leelan…is the pain gone?”
Keeping his gaze locked on his mate’s, Lucius whispered, “Yes…”
Closing his eyes briefly, Brady said a prayer of thanks to the Fates for giving him the opportunity to care for Lucius. Having a mate—much less, a perfect one—was something he’d never thought about. Once his magic was gone, the doctor had told his mother it would never happen. But he guessed the Fates never got the memo on that.
“Are you all right?” Lucius asked, concern showing in his face.
Snapping his eyes open, Brady nodded, his thumb gently caressing his mate’s face. “I am,leelan…very, very good. What about you?”
“Me too…different, but okay.”
“In what way?”
“Well…it’s hard to describe. When I woke up and found myself turned into a vampire, I was stunned; as far as I knew, they were fictional characters in books and movies. I remember pain throughout my body…not crippling pain keeping me from doing anything, but more like a constant ache. It was only relieved after I fed from my master. Then, for a little while, it would go away, only to slowly creep back over the next day or so.”
“It was part of the death spell and meant to make you dependent on your master,” Brady explained.
“It did. The need for his blood would grow but I never knew when he’d give me more. The uncertainty would drive me crazy and, as time passed, I’d find myself trying hard not to make mistakes and to follow his orders perfectly so nothing would keep me from feeding. I hated it.”
“But now?”
“The pain that began after my master’s death is gone…and so is the constant ache.”
“That’s how it should be,leelan.”
“It feels amazing!”
“But…” Brady sensed there was more.
Lowering his eyes, Lucius whispered, “It didn’t take away my craving for blood…not my master’s but yours. I can hear it pumping through your body and smell it. It’s driving me crazy with need…something I only experienced with Valerian.”
Tapping on his mate’s chin to get his attention, Brady waited until Lucius looked up at him. “And you’re afraid I’ll use your need for my blood to control you like your master did.”
Searching the deep blue eyes gazing at him, Lucius found only love reflecting from them, giving him the confidence to answer. Nodding slowly, he murmured, “Yes, I’m afraid of that.”
“I understand…and it’s quite normal for you to feel that way after what you went through. But, it won’t happen with us because we are Fated Mates.”
“Why not? What makes that so special?”
