My lips pulled back with a snarl, exposing my fangs. “She is not yours.”
The muscles of the youngling’s body tightened with rage as he recognized the threat before him. The magic within him saw what I was and what he had interrupted, but this boy was too set in his modern ways. His anger propelled him forward a step. “I told you?—”
“Back,”I commanded, magic slicing through my words.
The fledgling stumbled as my body prepared to fight. A small voice sounded in my mind, one that was my voice and yet was not.
Think of all you have worked for.
Think of all you have left to do.
I fought the reminder, another voice singing louder over the rest. The young vampire crouched, preparing for a fight, and though I warred within myself, I fought the urge to pounce first. But his next words were his downfall.
“I paid for her. She is?—”
My hand clamped around his throat and his feet dangled in the air. I tightened my grip until a small bone in his neck snapped. “Speak another word and I will kill you without a second thought.”
I did not understand why I was giving him a chance to live. Why part of me warred within myself. I should destroy him and eliminate the threat. His fingers found nopurchase against my skin, eyes widening as they looked down on me. A groan echoed from his chest and I tightened my grip. “Not. Another. Word.”
Her voice sliced through my rage. “Eamon…”
I lowered the fledgling slowly, squeezing to illustrate how easily I could snap his neck.
“Eamon, let him go.”
“You hear that?” I growled. “You have her to thank for my mercy. My mate offers kindness where there should be none.”
Mate. The word slipped from my lips and the last piece fell into place. Yet a red haze filled my vision as the fledgling blinked. “M-mate?”
My fingers flexed across his throat, but her scent was stronger now, filling my senses. I should destroy him. I should rip his head from his body and burn the pieces?—
“Let him go,” she repeated.
At once my hand snapped back and the vampire stumbled, catching himself on a nearby trunk before he fell. Her heat at my back had me crouching over him, protecting her again from view. But he scrambled back, neck curved in submission. “I did not know, my lord.”
My lord.The title awoke the pleading part of me.My lord.This male before me was not a threat—not truly. Lord Montag only believed he had a right to her because of theoyistahe’d spent. Every muscle in my body protested as I stood taller.
“Peace now,” I said, though he flinched at my words all the same.
He staggered back another step. “I will not impose again, my lord, I swear it.”
The last word was swallowed by the night as he disappeared.
My shoulders sagged even while my heart beat wildly inmy chest. The heat at my back intensified, a delicate hand rising to curve around my shoulders.
“My lord?—”
I grabbed her wrist, bracketed her throat with the other and pinned her against the tree. “Do not call me that.”
Those blue eyes widened, yet the sour scent of fear did not bloom between us. She nodded, hand flexing beneath the pressure of my fingers. Her dress was ruined, deep red streaks of her blood painting her throat and breasts. I breathed deep to steady myself, but her head tilted to the side. The sight of her submission was so heady I leaned forward until my nose skimmed the curve of her jaw.
“I am not the man you think I am.”
Her throat bobbed with a swallow. “I know.”
My tongue darted out, licking a stripe through the blood. She shivered and I pushed closer with a moan. “I will not hurt you, little bird.”
She gave a shaky nod. “I know.”
