Wicked Road to Hel (League of Guardians 1)

“Shit, babe, I’m sorry I didn’t mean—”

Her eyes flew open and her hands were around his throat before he had time to react. Two seconds later, he found himself on his back, with the spitfire vampire straddling him.

“How dare you leave me in that shithole,” she shouted at him, her lips inches from his.

She was pissed. Well so the fuck was he.

Declan’s hands crept up and he buried them in her hair as he cradled her skull, effectively holding her prisoner. He was not letting go. She couldn’t be trusted.

“I had my reasons.” His eyes narrowed as he fought the anger inside. She couldn’t be here. Not now. He had enough on his plate.

“I’m taking you back.” He tried to unseat her, but she held firm.

“That’s not going to happen.” Ana was breathing hard. Her eyes were round balls of blackness that stared at him in anger.

“I don’t want you here,” he snarled.

“You should have thought of that before you made me drink your blood.” She spat at him. “I told you I didn’t want this bond.”

“What the hell does that have to do with anything?” He pushed up, this time sending a line of fire out his fingertips, and smiled savagely when she rolled off him. “The only reason you weren’t attacked in that fucking club was because of me. Those demons would have been all over that delectable ass of yours if it weren’t for the fact my blood masked your scent.”

She cradled her abdomen. Declan was on his feet and stood behind her, his hands clenched at his side. The turmoil he felt was indescribable. It was a mix of mental and physical. It packed a serious punch, and along with it came resentment.

Would he ever achieve balance? Contentment?

“You don’t understand,” she whispered hoarsely, “what this means.”

Declan stared down at her slight form and fought the urge to grab her into his arms. To bury his nose in the thick mess of the hair at her neck. His mouth ached and an unfamiliar longing swept over him.

He wanted to sink his fangs into her flesh and take from her again. Sweat beaded his brow and his gut tightened as another wave of hunger rolled over him.

“We can’t be apart. We’re bonded whether you like it or not.” Ana turned her head to the side. “That’s on you, O’Hara.” She got to her knees and then stood, though she kept her back to him. “You think I will let you feed from another?”

Declan grimaced. He’d not thought about that.

“Let you hold someone close and take their essence into your body?” Ana whipped around and he was taken aback at the fury that colored her eyes deep crimson. “After we’ve bonded?”

She stalked over to him. Her fangs were fully distended and he smelled her hunger, her need as she stared up at him defiantly.

“You woke the beast, my friend. Let me explain exactly what that means.” She lunged forward, her hands on his shoulders, her body pressed against his, and she sank her fangs into the side of his neck.

Instantly he was flooded with hot need and he grabbed her, held her in place as she fed, baring his own fangs as the need inside him grew. The connection was instant and fucking glorious.

She broke away, her chest heaving as she fought for control. His own was thin and he growled in frustration. He was left hungry, full of a need that had not been met.

The wind whipped her hair into the air furiously. Ana tugged it out of the way and plunged forward. “This thing that’s between us is permanent. It’s not like you can return it or ignore it when you don’t want to deal.”

She thumped him in the chest and he gritted his teeth as he stared down at her. Energy lit the air and the feel of something powerful permeated the entire area as the storm gathered. Everything in him screamed get the hell out, yet he couldn’t move. He was mesmerized by the woman in front of him.

“You’re inside me, Declan . . . living inside of me.” Her eyes widened, they glittered with the sheen of what looked to be tears. “Can’t you feel it?”

He nodded. There was a ruthless hunger that had been gnawing at him since he’d left her. Declan had assumed it was some weird vampire thing but now he knew better, because as he stood inches from Ana, the twisted, wild place inside him was calm.

“Your energy feeds mine, keeps me sane, and fulfills my needs on every level.” Her voice lowered and he strained to hear. “I don’t want another. You are my soul now. I will not let you exist without me.”

He heard her pain, but dammit, there was no time for consoling. For the big I-love-you-we’ll-live-happily-ever-after kind of chat. Something was coming. He could feel it.

“I can’t . . .” he began, and grimaced as his voice trailed into nothing. He didn’t want her exposed to what existed below. The depravity and decadence were unparalleled, and the things he’d done . . .