Crimson Truth (Onyx Assassins 4)

I tangled my fingers in his hair, holding him tighter against me. His fangs teased and raked over my breast, and I sank onto him harder, faster. “Yes,” I said.

Benedict grinned up at me. “Now?” he teased.

Everything inside me narrowed and stilled at his fangs poised at my skin, at his hard cock inside me, hanging me on a precipice I couldn’t go over by myself.

“Goddess, yes,” I begged.

He thrust upward, hard and strong, as I sank atop him. His fangs sank into the flesh above my breast, and I threw my head back, release barreling down my spine, trembling my whole body.

My fangs ached as he sucked and lapped at me, and I held his head there, the position exposing his neck to me perfectly. I struck, sinking my fangs into his neck, his blood spilling into my mouth as I came again, tasting his orgasm in his blood as he found his release inside me. And, Goddess, there was nothing better than this. Than tasting him while he claimed me in every way possible. Nothing better than belonging wholly to someone so incredible and them belonging to you just the same.

I swiped my tongue over the wounds in his neck, and he did the same to me, our bodies shaking as we held each other.

“I love you,” I said, sealing those words with a kiss that tasted of us both, a powerful, insatiable combination I knew I’d never stop craving.

“I love you,” he said against my lips, lifting me easily and shifting us under the water again. I locked my ankles around his hips, grinning at him with an almost drunk sort of giddiness. I kissed down the column of his throat, and he groaned a laugh.

“Who needs sleep anyway?”

19

Benedict

The atmosphere in the house was beyond tense. With one more night before the full moon, which would enhance not only Jocelyn’s powers, but Genevieve’s, I felt like a guitar string pulled too tight—everyone did.

“Do you have everything under control for tomorrow night?” Hawke asked from what seemed to be his permanent position, sitting outside Avianna’s door.

“If you’re asking if anyone’s pissed that you’re not going, then the answer is no,” I answered, leaning back against the wall. “We know you’re going through something, and there’s more than enough of us to get the job done.” Especially since we’d have the element of surprise when it came to Jocelyn.

He nodded, staring at the door without any hope in his eyes that it would open any time soon.

“She’s trying to get her to talk,” I said softly, wishing there was something, anything I could say to help.

Avianna wouldn't speak.

Hawke wouldn’t eat.

It had been almost a week since she’d returned home and there was zero sign of it getting any better. Jocelyn had been with her for the last few hours, taking what the females had started referring to as Avi-shifts, but all I could feel down the bond was sadness and a hint of frustration that told me she hadn’t gotten the princess to talk.

“It’s been a week.” Hawke’s voice was barely above a growl.

“Jocelyn told me that she’ll speak when she’s ready.” I caught Hawke’s glare and glanced away. “And I know that doesn’t help you.”

He sat still as death, daggers clutched in each hand as he rested his forearms on his raised knees.

“And Jocelyn and Olivia have both said that it doesn’t appear that she’s been harmed—” I started, searching for anything that might bring Hawke comfort.

“Harm isn’t always physical,” he retorted.

He had me there.

“You need to watch the other Hunters tomorrow night,” he continued, his grip tightening on his daggers.

“You’re afraid they’re not up to the task?” My brow puckered.

His head hit the back of the wall. “I think that if Ransom or Lachlan went rogue, there’s nothing you and I wouldn't do to get to the bottom of it before bringing in Alek. Because once Alek knows, it becomes a matter for the crown.”

My stomach twisted. “You think they’ll help Samuel and Saint?”

“I would count on it,” he replied, his voice lowering to a whisper. “You know those twins are at the heart of whatever is going on with the Sons and Genevieve. I don’t know if they’ve been planning this since we woke them, or during whatever frozen-time-catch-up-session Ajax hooked them all up with, but they took Avi for a reason.” His gaze shifted back to the heavy door. “And they gave her back for one, too.”

“Agreed.” We were all just waiting for Avi to tell us what that reason was, and Alek’s patience was growing thinner by the day.

“I’m not saying the others are in on it.” Hawke tilted his head. “But be prepared just in case they are.”

I nodded. “I consider us brothers—you, me, Alek, Lachlan, and Ransom. We’ve been the only Assassins in the Order for hundreds of years.” I chose my next words carefully. “Zachariah, Dagon, Talon, Ajax, Saint, and Samuel have been together for nearly a millennium, so I think it’s safe to assume they share a similar bond.”