Crimson Highlander (Onyx Assassins 2)

"No. Alek, we're strong, but if the Sons are forging alliances with witches and demons..." I shook my head.

We walked in silence down the southern wing of the residence as he thought about the suggestion.

I knew the answer wouldn't come today. Alek was never impetuous, nor did he act before he'd thought about every possible consequence. It was one of the things that made him a good king.

"They've been in stasis for hundreds of years," he said as we reached the door to my room, which was at the end of the wing.

"Yes." I put my hand to the biometric lock, and the door opened.

"They're vicious. Merciless. And fuck, are they powerful. Zachariah alone..." He shook his head.

"I know. And there's no telling if they'd even come out of stasis sane. Could you imagine having to...pursue one?"

"No."

The thought of having to hunt down one of the legendary Hunters was, well, unthinkable. They were the monsters of our time. The threats parents gave rebellious children who struggled to learn moderation in their feeding during adolescence when true thirst awoke.

"We might need them." I pushed my door open fully.

"That's what scares me," Alek admitted. "Now go take a shower, so you don't make a liar out of me. We're in for the evening."

"Aye." I walked into my room.

"Oh, and I really don't want to broach this subject—"

"So don't," I groaned, knowing where this was headed.

"But my mate is worried that you and Valor are trying to deny your mating bond." He stuck his hands in his back pockets and looked just as uncomfortable as I felt. "And we both know it's possible, but it has to be making you miserable as fuck, and eventually it's going to be impossible for you to feed, especially with her living next door." He motioned to the room behind him, where I'd put Valor that first night.

Close enough to protect, but far enough to think twice about touching her.

"I fed tonight," I said in answer.

"And that's why you look like you should be named Kermit? Because my man, you are green." He winced.

At his reminder, nausea rolled through me, my stomach threatening to expel everything I'd managed to take in earlier.

"I'm fine."

"Shit. Is that what you're doing? Denying your bond?"

My jaw locked. "Are you asking as my best friend or my king?"

"Your friend." His brow furrowed.

"Then as my friend, stay the fuck out of it." I gave him a two-fingered salute and promptly shut the door in his royal face.

The shower was long, hot, and exactly what I needed. It didn’t solve the tightness in my chest or the dull, pulsing ache in my fangs, but at least my muscles loosened up under the streams of scalding water.

Hair washed and rinsed, I stood under the showerhead for another long moment before shutting it off and wrapping a towel around my waist. I walked out of the bathroom, rubbing another piece of terry cloth over my hair—and stopped dead in my tracks.

Valor sat on my bed, her legs folded under her like she’d gotten comfy while waiting.

The bergamot and lime scent of her filled my head, and my cock jolted, hardening in a heartbeat. Mine. Mine. Mine.

“You can’t do that to me again!” she snapped, bracing her weight on her palms behind her.

You’re denying the bond, remember? My brain did, but my body sure-as-fuck did not. My fangs descended fully, my muscles coiled, prepared to leap, to take, to claim. “Get. Off. The. Bed.” I ground out each word, carefully concentrating on keeping my feet exactly where they were. Not that it fucking mattered where my feet were. I could wend right onto the bed.

“You take off for four days, and that’s all you have to say to me?” She sat up, narrowing her eyes. They sparkled with anger.

Sparkled? You’ve officially gone mad, Highlander.

“Get. Off. The. Bed.” I slowly lowered my hand and let the towel I was drying my hair with fall to the floor.

She scooted forward and gripped the edge of the linens. Even with being as tall as she was, her feet dangled off the end of the bed’s massive structure. “You left me.”

“Valor. If you don’t move that incredible ass off my bed, I’m going to strip every piece of your clothes off, starting with that wee scrap of fabric you call shorts and bury myself inside you.” My chest heaved with the effort it took to hold back.

“You…what?” Her lips parted, and her eyes flared wide, as if just now noticing that I was only wearing a towel. The hungry look she sent skimming down my chest wasn’t helping matters, either. She swallowed when her gaze reached the towel, which wasn’t doing much to hide exactly how badly I wanted her. “Bury yourself…” Her mutter trailed off.

“Tongue or cock, Valor. You’re choice. And you’re still not moving.” I dragged my tongue over my lower lip.