Night Play (Dark-Hunter 5)

Paul took Vane's hand in his. The mark was hidden. "You didn't have to cover it.

I knew the minute Bride told me your name what had happened. And I know how you guys guard your mates. I can't say I'm exactly happy about this, but at least I don't have to fear you will ever hurt her the way Deirdre was hurt."

Vane clenched his fists. "Does Joyce"

"No. She knows nothing about your world and I want to keep it that way.

I've never told anyone about Sanctuary." Paul let go of Vane's hand. "If you're looking for my blessing, you have it. I wasn't sure until I saw you two at dinner. It's been a long time since I've seen my little girl so happy. But remember, if you ever hurt her" He glanced over to where a dog was in a cage with a cone around his head.

"Ah man," Fury breathed. "That's just sick."

"I definitely concur," Vane agreed.

"Yeah well, Bride is my baby and I know how to use a tranq gun and a scalpel."

Vane cringed as Fury cupped himself.

"Vane?"

They turned to see Bride walking toward them.

Paul stepped back. "Let me get you a leash for"

"We won't need it," Fury said, opening the gate and letting the dog out with him.

"No, I guess not," Paul said. He went to pet the dog, who snapped at him.

"Behave," Fury said, pulling Cujo back.

Bride hesitated as she drew near.

"And you better not nip at Bride," Vane warned. "Or we'll leave you here."

The dog wagged its tail and sat down.

"Is he coming with us?" she asked.

Her father nodded. "They were kind enough to adopt him."

"That was sweet of you," she said to Vane.

Fury scoffed. "Not really. I feel for anyone who gets tossed into a ditch."

Bride reached out and hugged Fury. She felt for the wolf and what he'd been through.

Fury cleared his throat and stepped back. "Don't get mushy on me, Bride, I don't know how to handle it. Much like Cujo, my first instinct is to attack and that would cause Vane to make me look like that poor guy over there."

Bride saw the dog with the cone. "Ouch."

"Exactly."

Vane wrapped his arm around her and together they walked back to the house with her father, Fury, and Cujo following them.

Joyce looked up in surprise to see the dog with them, but didn't say anything as she handed Bride a large sack of Tupperware. "I split the leftovers with everyone."

"Did we get any potatoes?" Fury asked.

Vane cocked a brow. "So now you like them?"

"Yeah, they were good."

Bride kissed her mother on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom."

Patrick met them in the living room. He held his hand out to Vane. "It was good meeting you, even if you are a drug-dealing pimp."

"You, too."

"Excuse me?" Bride asked.

"It's a long story," Fury said with a laugh.

"Y'all be careful going home," Joyce said as she led them out to the car. "Oh wait, let me get a blanket for the dog so he won't scratch the leather seats."

Bride took a few minutes to say goodbye again while her mother fetched the blanket, then put it in the back for Cujo. After she'd hugged and kissed her parents, Bride joined the wolves and dog in the car.

Within no time, they were headed back toward the Garden District.

"You have a nice family, Bride," Vane said.

She looked at him and then Fury. "Yeah, I do. I think you guys are the best."

Vane's heart pounded at what she said. "I meant your family."

"You and Fury are part of my family, Vane. You're the best part of it."

"I think you two need some privacy." Fang sat up and squeezed Bride's hand. "Later, little sister." Then he and the dog vanished out of the back seat. Vane pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car. "What are you saying to me, Bride?"

She lifted her hand up to play with his hair as she stared into those incredible

hazel eyes that held her heart enslaved. "While my sister was yelling at me about how you would one day leave me high and dry, I had an epiphany. I've never in my life known anyone like you, Vane, and I doubt I ever will. I like the way you look at me as if you can already taste me. I like how you worry if I'm too cold or if I've had enough to eat. Most of all, I love the way you feel at night when you're holding me close. The way you touch me as if you're afraid I'm going to break. And how you take care to cradle me in your arms."

She paused and took a deep breath before she continued. "I love you, Vane. I don't think I ever knew what real love was until you came into my life."

She held her marked hand up to him. "I'm ready to mate with you."

He looked startled and uncertain. "Are you sure about this?"

"The mere fact that you're asking me that question when you know what you'll lose if I say no proves to me just how right I am about you. Yes, Vane Kattalakis. I'm sure."

A slow smile spread across his face two seconds before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless. Vane pulled away with a deep, wolfish growl. "I really hate that I had to drive this damned thing. Otherwise I'd have us both in bed right now."

"Can't you poof the car home?"

"No. It's too big and heavy, and if I abandon it, it'll get stolen and Otto will never forgive me. He loves this damned hunk of junk." He released her and settled back in his seat.

And damn near gave her heart failure as he drove home in record time.

Richard

Petty had nothing on this guy as he weaved in and out of traffic.

They squealed to a stop outside of Valerius's door and Vane flashed them from the car to their bedroom. One second they were standing next to the bed; in the next, they were naked in it.

Bride laughed at his eagerness. "You don't waste time, do you?"

"I don't want you to change your mind."

"I'm not going to."

Vane kissed her deeply. He was already hard for her.

Bride ran her hand over his back, delighting in the feel of him. His skin was so warm and masculine. "Just remember, this doesn't get you off the hook for a big Irish wedding."

He laughed at that. "Whatever it takes to make you happy."

Her smile faded as seriousness set deep in her heart. "That would definitely be you."

He kissed her again, nearly devouring her.

By the time he pulled away, she could barely breathe. "Okay," she said quietly. "What do we need to do?"

Vane rolled over onto his back and stole her breath at the way he looked there. His tanned skin was set off to perfection against the cream sheets. His hair was loose and made him look all the more alluring. "You need to press your marked palm to mine."

Bride laid her palm to his warm and callused one. Vane laced his fingers with hers.

"Now you have to take me into your body without my interference."

"That's kind of strange, but okay."

"Not really. It was set up as a safeguard to protect our females. The Claiming can never be forced on a female. She must complete it by her own free will."

Bride sat up on her knees and carefully straddled his lean waist. She stared down at him, wondering how this would change them.

Would it change them?

How could it not?

After this they would be mated. She would belong to him and, until the day she died, he would belong to her.

Vane took her free hand into his and kissed it gently.

Her heart pounding, Bride shifted her body until he was deep inside her.