Crimson Warrior (Onyx Assassins 3)

And boom. Hard. My entire body reacted to her not-so-innocent comment, my blood thickening in my veins and my fangs elongating. Hunger immediately gnawed in my gut.

What the fuck was wrong with me? Sure, I had a high sex drive. All warriors did. But my body had never been this demanding before. I’d already finished my portion of tonight’s mission, but I had no idea if she had, and here I was, ready to walk out just to get my hands on Olivia. I’d never been this continuously aroused, this…hungry.

“See! Every woman likes a dominant male!” The Countess cackled.

“I just like my dominant male,” Olivia corrected her. “But that’s what you get for mating an Onyx Assassin.” The music shifted into something slower. “Oh, I love this song. Please, do excuse us.” Olivia tugged on my hand, and I went willingly, sweeping her into my arms as we reached the dance floor.

“Thank you. I was pretty sure I was going to stroke out if I had to listen to one more double entendre from that female.” I pulled Olivia against my body as we spun, savoring the feel of her curves.

“You are a beautiful dancer,” she said, smiling up at me.

“You make it easy.” Our bodies moved like partners speaking a secret language. We were magnets, dipping and turning with a precision that was usually the product of centuries of lovemaking, not just a few days.

My thumb grazed over the temporary tattoo of my mating mark on her wrist and an unfamiliar yearning shot deep within me…but for what? To see that mark made permanent? My vision flickered thermal.

Get a fucking grip.

“Any luck on your end? I’ve spoken to everyone on my list, and they seem about as loyal as they come.” She lowered her voice so only I could hear her in the throng of dancers. “You?”

I shook my head, struggling to bring my body back under control. “Honestly, Benedict is going to have to make his rounds through everyone’s list. He’s the only one who can tell if they’re lying.”

“Good point.”

“This is surreal.” I glanced around at the swirling couples and glittering chandeliers. We were an entire world away from the war ravaging our home and endangering our species, and it wasn’t just in the physical sense.

“It is, isn’t it? And part of me wants to scream at them that there’s a war going on, and the other part of me is just…” She blew out a long, slow breath.

“Just enjoying the small breath of peace?” I offered.

“Exactly.” Her grip tightened on my hand as she stared up at me, and I lost myself in her eyes.

“We should do this more at home.”

“Hold balls?” She grinned. “I somehow don’t see Alek and Lachlan going for that. They can barely stand to have the aristocrats at the estate as it is.”

“No,” I said with a laugh. “Dance. We should dance.”

“Will you still want to dance with me at home?” Her expression fell, and vulnerability filled those gorgeous brown eyes. “Will you still want…me?” That last word came out as a whisper even as she tried to force a smile and play it off as a joke.

But this was anything but funny. We both knew it. We stood on the edge of something so vast it would either define us or break us.

“I can’t imagine not wanting you, Olivia.” The truth of my words slammed into me with the force of a hurricane, rattling me to my bones. I would always want her. That was just a fact. I wanted her friendship and counsel. I wanted her fire and obstinance. I loved the way she challenged me, forced me to grow, to constantly better myself. I loved her kisses, but I loved her smart mouth even more.

I loved…her.

Fuck me. I was in love with her.

I needed her right fucking now.

She gasped as I lifted her into my arms. “What about—”

“We’ve done all we can do tonight. Avi is safe with Hawke watching over her. I have other plans for you.” I strode from the dance floor, carrying Olivia through the wide double doors of the ballroom and into the hallway.

“What do these plans include?” she asked, a teasing lilt to her voice as she ran her fingers through the hair at the base of my skull.

“You. Me. Naked.”

“Excellent.” She put her lips to my neck, and I nearly stumbled, my grip tightening as I held her against me in a bridal carry.

“Fuck,” I groaned, the sound echoing off the walls of the massive corridor as she grazed her fangs along my skin. My pace increased until I was nearly running to get us to our chamber.

I flung open the door and slammed it shut behind us, throwing the lock so we wouldn’t be interrupted. Then it was game on.

We were a tangle of lips and hands as we kissed our way toward the bed, shedding our clothes as we went. Shoes, pants, jacket, shirt—it all fell to the floor piece by piece. Her dress slid down the elegant curves of her body like a caress, leaving her completely bare.