“Did you hear me?” Descallia says.
I tune back in. “Sorry, no.”
“You may get backlash at the meeting. The lords of the regions are not going to want to give up men, and the masters may feel the need to back their lords. You have no position other than we take the best of the best, no matter who it is. The vampires’ future depends on it. Can you live with that?”
“I’ll select the most qualified and get them organized as quickly as possible. You can depend on that.”
“That’s what I needed you to say. Thank you, Corvinus. We need your talent and skills on this. I’ll send you the agenda, time, and location shortly.” Overmaster disconnects before I have a chance to say anything else, but really what is there left to say. I always knew pulling the warriors together was going to be a priority, now it’s just a bigger one than anyone could have imagined.
Embry is going to have a fucking meltdown when she learns that we’re pulling back the warriors and Descallia wants her to focus on the shadow books instead of applying to the team.
I exhale a deep breath because a pissed off Embry is all anyone needs … but I’m sure as hell not going to keep it from her.
27
EMBRY
Corvinus finishes his meal, stands, and leans down to give me a kiss. “I’ll be out for a few hours. Descallia wants to go over some plans for the warriors and asked that I join the masters’ meeting.”
I’m sure my face falls. I knew he was going to be working on getting the Warriors up and running yet in my mind, I thought I had much more time to decide what I want to do. “You know, regardless of what you may have heard, I really was a kick-ass special ops member. I trained so long and….”
He tilts my face up with a finger to my chin. “You will be kick-ass in whatever role you choose to have with the vampires in the future. Right now, just for a short while, help the ladies figure out what’s in those shadow books. That will help the vampires more than you know. With your gramma’s history, your powers, Lucianna’s, and the help of the witches mated to the masters, we can hopefully unlock secrets. That’s the information we need to put us ahead. Okay?”
A spark ignites deep in my chest. I am a hell of a fighter, but I’m more than that too. I love the vampires and whatever they need, that’s what I should do. I’m quick to accept that assignment. “Absolutely. We’ll work on it as hard as we can.”
He gives me a kiss. “You are as dedicated to the vampires as I’ve ever seen, even when you were upset, they were still your priority. You’ve proven that time and time again, love. Do this and then let’s figure out your role in the vampires’ community next, okay?”
My heart could not be fuller. Corvinus believes in me in so many ways. “I wanted the first time I told you to be super romantic or sexy as hell, but the truth of the matter is that I can’t wait another day to tell you.”
His head tilts and those dark eyes meet mine. “Tell me what, love?”
I kiss his lips, relishing in the warmth and touch as his hand snakes around my nape, holding me close. “I know we were supposed to wait a year,” I whisper. “But I’ve already fallen head over heels in love with you, vampire.”
His arms tighten around me, drawing me close. “I love you more than you could ever know, love, but I want even more. I want your fucking heart and soul,” he growls possessively against my ear.
“You already have it, vampire. You’ll come back to me as quickly as you can?” I ask.
His dark eyes don’t leave mine for a moment. “I won’t stay away from you a second not necessary, love. And when you’ve solved the secrets of the shadow books, I don’t give a damn about the consequences, we’re going to let everyone know that we’re together, understand?”
My chest tightens with all the pent-up feelings I have for Corvinus. “I love you so much.”
His hands slide possessively over my ass, both hands drawing me close, my mound grinding onto his rock-hard dick. “Not once did I ever believe I would find my soul mate, until you,” he growls into my ear.
Butterflies dance in my stomach and my heart expands with the love for this alpha male who once was only a pain in my ass but now means more than I can even express. I reach up, wrapping my arms around his neck and into his hair. “I want to be the only woman you want, vampire. Understand?”
The redness overshadowing his eyes and his arms encircling mine tell me everything I need to know. “You are the only woman I want, love. Feel this, my dick next to your heat? Never has it been that way before. All the women you’ve read about, they never meant a thing, Embry. You’ve taken my fucking soul.”
I grasp his face, drawing it down to me, looking into those deep dark eyes. “I mean it, Corvinus. I love you like I’ve never felt for any vampire before. I thought we needed more time, but it turns out that I don’t need any more time, I just need you.”
His lips descend fast, capturing mine, coaxing, his tongue dancing with my own, exploring all the things that we were meant to be.
A quick glance out the window at the way the tree branches are swaying so hard is concerning. “Are you driving or transporting?”
He grins, digs into his pockets, and holds up a set of keys. “Maserati. I guess some of Descallia’s rules aren’t really the worst. They moved the meeting this month to Chicago since so many of us were here. The masters have the location change on their agenda tonight too. Who knows, maybe they’ll decide to meet here all the time.”
“Well, be careful. The roads are probably slippery.”
He smirks. “I’ll keep it on the road, love. Nothing could keep me from coming back home to you tonight. And you be careful too. That tequila you ladies drink when you get together can be more potent than you know.”
