Thana didn’t budge, no matter how hard I tugged. She kept her gaze on the nightwalker, not letting him out of her sight. “I won’t have to protect either one of us. Kieran and Athan will handle the nightwalker.”
The supernatural world was so new to me; it took a moment before I realized why she was so confident. Thana could telepathically call to Kieran, alerting him of the danger. Then it would only take a blink of an eye for them to arrive and save us. I was filled with a deep sense of relief...and a desire to be claimed by my sexy vampire as soon as all of this was over.8AthanI crossed my arms over my chest and leaned my hip on the kitchen counter, my eyes glued to the door that led to the gardens. “How long do you think they’ll be?” I wondered.
Kieran’s whole body went rigid, and when he glanced at me, his eyes were a little wild. “Now. They need us now.” Then he disappeared. I popped into the gardens, only a few feet from Selene, thanks to the small connection we already had.
A nightwalker was barreling down the walkway, headed straight for my mate. He didn’t even seem to notice Kieran and me moving in to stand in front of our women until we were right in front of him. “Move,” he hissed.
If he hadn’t been threatening my mate, I might have laughed at his idiotic command. Not that I was altogether surprised. It was rare that a nightwalker had the balls to step foot on Bancroft land, which meant that this asshole was a moron with a death wish.
“Selene, let’s go,” Thana urged in a whisper when the nightwalker was only an arm’s reach away. It was perfect timing, which I assumed was planned by Kieran and Thana through their bond. I hated that I couldn’t comfort and reassure my woman through a telepathic and soul-deep connection. It also meant that Selene was vulnerable, and that was unacceptable. As soon as I dealt with this parasite, I was claiming my consort.
I heard the girls’ footsteps as they rushed away, and the intruder’s eyes flew over my shoulder. My hand darted out, and I grabbed his bicep in a punishing grip, keeping him from teleporting after our women since I refused to let him take me with. My power dwarfed his, and he could not force me to portal with him.
“They’re taken, so you should probably keep your eyes to yourself,” I drawled. The nightwalker sneered and took a swipe at me with his other hand.
I dodged his blow just as Kieran called, “Heads-up.” Without taking my eyes from the evil psycho glaring at me with red eyes and a bloodstained shirt, I reached out and caught the stake Kieran tossed to me.
“Going after a consort was a stupid idea,” I told him through clenched teeth. I would always protect Selene, but images of what could have happened to her were making me edgy. “But going after a Bancroft consort?” I tsked. “You obviously have a death wish. So I’m going to do you a favor and help you out.” He wrenched his arm and snarled at me before his eyes went wide, and he hissed as his face twisted with pain.
Staggering away, he grasped the stake embedded in his heart and tried to yank it out, but he burst into flames before disintegrating into ash and blowing away with the breeze.
It wasn’t as though that had been a difficult kill, but my heart was racing, and I felt restless energy buzzing on my skin. I teleported to my living room, where Thana was trying to reassure Selene that Kieran and I were not in any danger.
I stalked over to my woman and yanked her into my arms, crushing my mouth over hers in a deep kiss.
“Let’s go, baby,” Kieran murmured.
“But—”
Then there was no sound except the thumping of my heart and the rush of blood thundering in my ears.
Selene moaned, and I held her steady as her knees weakened, my fangs elongated, and my mouth watered for the taste of her blood. Not yet, I reprimanded myself. I tore my lips from hers with a reluctant groan and swept her into my arms when she swayed on her feet.
“Until we are bonded, you are vulnerable,” I explained to her softly as I headed for the staircase. Selene wasn’t particularly fond of the feeling of being teleported, though that would change once she was turned. However, I didn’t mind making the journey up to our suite. I enjoyed the feel of her in my arms, her scent wafting up to tempt me, and the sound of her heartbeat causing my fangs to tingle while my heart swelled with emotion. “I can never lose you, love,” I choked out. “I need to claim you.”