Crimson Highlander (Onyx Assassins 2)

"Anyone else need to get a shot in?" I growled, staring each of my brothers down.

"Well, now that you mention it, you do look a little pale," Ransom answered with a shit-eating grin.

I slipped my dagger free and threw it in one smooth motion, so it landed right between his legs, about three inches from the tip of his dick.

His jaw slackened.

"There, now we both look a little pale." I tipped my finger at him.

"For fuck's sake." Benedict rubbed his hands down his face.

"It's fine," Ransom said as he tugged the dagger free. "We all know he's been a little on edge since his mate showed up."

"Fuck you. I have three more daggers where that came from, and next time I'll aim higher."

Ransom was right. Every warrior in this room knew it—including me.

That knot in my chest wasn't easing because I'd drained a cup of coffee. It was easing because the bond between Valor and me had been stretched to a painful length while I'd been in Ottawa. Fuck, the bond wasn't supposed to be this strong.

She was human. I was a vampire. We weren't even the same species, for fuck's sake. I'd exercised the will of a goddamned saint and hadn't touched her, hadn't kissed her, hadn't tasted her—much to the disappointment of my instincts. It shouldn't have hurt that much to be gone for four days.

And it still hurt. There was a persistent, throbbing ache behind my ribs that was fucking with my entire life.

Blood tasted like sandpaper. My stomach recoiled every time I forced myself to feed, and then it was a battle to keep it down. I hadn’t looked at a woman sexually in months, with the exception of Valor.

She was the fucking exception to everything. It was her blood I craved. Her scent I wanted entwined with mine so others would know she'd been claimed. Her body I wanted underneath mine.

Stupid. Fucking. Bond.

"We're just stretched too thin," Ransom said, motioning back toward the map.

There had been seven attacks on supernaturals this week alone, and we were only one city.

"Ottawa is seeing the same," I added. "Not Moorehouse tactics, though." That bond in my chest started to...glow, and I continued anyway. We'd need her input. "They were bolder. Attacked vampires during the day."

Avianna gasped in the doorway to my right. "How would they find their lairs?"

"You don't need to be here for this, Avi," Alek said gently, opening his arms so Lyric could sit in his lap.

"I have just as much right to hear this as anyone in this room."

Hawke paused his incessant knife-flipping.

"You do," Alek agreed. "But there's very little you can do about it, so I don't want to worry you."

That bond started to fucking shine like I was some sort of Care Bear, and sure enough, Valor stepped into the doorway.

Just seeing her was a punch to the gut. Her long, auburn hair was down, falling in soft waves to the middle of her back. She wore a green, sleeveless blouse that made her eyes even brighter, and her little white shorts had all but precious inches of those mile-long legs exposed to the view of every male in this room.

My chest rumbled.

Valor's gaze snapped to mine and widened. She dropped the sandals she'd been carrying. Of course, the woman was barefoot.

"Very little I can do about it?" Avianna snapped, fisting her glove-covered hands on her hips. "Why? Because I'm a woman? You don't have a problem with Olivia fussing and training with Ransom."

"Avi..." Alek rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I just don't like you to worry."

"Alekxander, there are vampires dying in their beds, so I think as the second in line to the throne, I should probably be a little worried! And just because I don't have any visible powers doesn't give you the right to treat me like I'm some pretty, caged-up little butterfly who can't handle a stiff wind!" Her cheeks pinkened, and she swung her pointed finger in Hawke's direction. "And that goes for you too! If I want to have dinner with Baron Van Der-whatever, that's none of your business!"

Hawke arched a single brow. "Van Der-whatever? Yeah, you were real interested there, Princess. That asshole had to go before Conclave two years ago because he knocked up his wife's best friend and didn't want to own up to support. That's why he's newly single. I did you a favor."

Avianna's jaw dropped slightly before she managed to pick it back up. "Fine, then that's his business. And it's my business to choose with whom I spend my time! Stop making my choices!"

"Make better choices, and I won't have to." He shrugged.

Avianna reached for the glass vase on the end table, but Olivia got there faster. Damn, that female was a quick one.

"Okay, and back to the Ottawa problem?" Olivia said smoothly, handing the vase to Lyric before taking her place at Avianna's side.