Crimson Highlander (Onyx Assassins 2)

“You’re being ridiculous,” Valor marched forward, but the man gripped her elbow, holding her back.

I hissed, my vision flashing thermal.

“I wouldn’t get that close to him. I’ve been around them when they’re starved like this and—"

“Get your fucking hands off my mate.” I yanked my fists from the wall, bringing chunks of drywall with them.

The women gasped. Chad paled and released his hold, dropping his hands to his sides.

Valor rolled her eyes.

“Get out before I show you exactly what happens when you touch a mate who doesn’t belong to you,” I warned in a voice I barely recognized as my own. It would take two seconds, three max, and the human would be a puddle of bones and blood on the floor.

All four of the humans fled, slamming the door behind them on the way out.

Valor sighed, long and loud, throwing her arms out to the side. “Fine. If you won’t feed on them, then you’re just going to have to try and stomach a little of me.” She tilted her head to the side, exposing the long, lean line of her neck.

My mouth watered, and before I could even think to hesitate, my body carried me across the bedroom. I’d wended without even trying.

I speared my fingers through her hair and palmed her ass, yanking her tight against my body.

She gasped, but that sweet, sharp scent she gave off wasn’t fear…it was anticipation.

“Is this what you want?” I asked, drawing my fangs down her skin without scoring it.

“It’s what you need.” She gripped my waist, her thumbs sliding down the V-line of my muscles.

“That is not what matters, and not what I asked you.” I caressed her waist as I moved my hand to her zipper and flicked open the button right above it. “Do. You. Want. This?”

I drew her zipper down.

“Lachlan.” She leaned up, her skin brushing against my lips.

The returning wave of hunger crept along the horizon, and I knew I only had seconds before it would consume us both. Biology beat out intentions every single time. It was why our species had survived this long.

“You have no idea what this will do to you—do to us.” But fuck, I wanted her, damn the consequences.

“You’ll be able to track me,” she said in a breathy whisper. “And not just that general feeling that comes through the bond. You’ll be able to sniff me out anywhere I go. It only hurts at first. I’ll be able to replace the blood volume in a few days because of some chemical in your saliva. I’m not a fool, Lachlan. I asked Lyric. I know what I’m suggesting.” Her breasts rose and fell against my chest with increasing speed. “Just do it.”

She was right there, her blood flowing fast and sweet beneath the translucent surface of her skin. “It will strengthen our bond. There’s no coming back from something like this.”

“You know what?” She shoved away from my chest, and I let her go.

Good. She could still save herself. The hunger roared in my ears.

“If you don’t want my blood, just say so.” She shook her head.

“What?” Shit, the roaring was getting louder, the craving gnawing a hole in my fucking stomach.

“You heard me! I know I’m the common denominator here. You could feed just fine before I moved in with you. So what is it? Do I smell bad? Make you sick? Because from what Lyric said, you’re supposed to want your mate, and yet I could probably peel off my clothes and present every inch of skin to you as an offering, and you’d still choose to starve to death!”

“To protect you!” I bellowed, my vision flashing thermal and back.

“Yeah, okay.” She rolled her eyes and tugged off her shirt, throwing it to the ground. “You know me better than to think I need protection.” Her bra came next.

I almost swallowed my tongue at the sight of those rosy nipples. It had been days since I’d put my hands on her, my mouth on her.

“Stop,” I warned, my cock doing its best to power through my sweatpants to get at her.

“Or what?” she challenged, shimmying out of her shorts. Of course, her feet were bare.

“Or you’ll make it impossible for me to protect you! You think I don’t want you? Yours is the only blood I crave.”

She paused, a slow smile spreading across her face. She had me, and she knew it.

“I know this isn’t what you want!” I had to try.

Holy shit, there went her panties.

“Stop telling me what I want!” She jabbed her finger at me even as she sat back on my bed. “I would rather risk the bond becoming permanent than lose you to starvation! Damn, Lachlan! Do I need to get a knife and do it myself?”

Her thighs were slightly parted, and fuck me, I could smell the sweet honey of her pussy from here, filling my lungs and cutting off all rational thought. The threads of my self-control weren’t just unraveling, they were breaking one by one.