Page 72 of Claiming the Dhampir

Why would she ever trust me when I’d refused to trust her?

I wasn’t even sure when I decided to stop fighting fate. Seeing Damon’s fierce defense of his mate hadn’t convinced me. Seeing Kenrid’s smile made me doubt my fears. When he gave up his place with the Exiled fae, risked the ire of his royal family, and dedicated everything to Lorna, I couldn’t ignore what should have been obvious all along.

Elliott’s wolf may have been the final convincing factor. Wolves did not share their mates. They could reject their mate, but the consequences for the wolf were severe. Fate wouldn’t give them another one. Yes, they could find love with someone else who wasn’t their mate. But if the one they chose stumbled across their soulmate, they would be forced to choose.

Elliott’s acceptance of the situation only secured my belief that fate had bigger plans for Lorna and us. Now that I knew of the dhampir in the Underworld, a shiver of trepidation crawled up my spine. I couldn’t begin to guess what the fates had planned. That wasn’t true. I had dozens of guesses, and I didn’t like any of them.

The worst being that fate was building her own weapon. Us.

It was in our best interest to learn as much as we could about the special connection linking all five of us together. As Lorna had said earlier, we needed to know how volatile our magic was and what we needed to do to contain it. And maybe even harness it.

I also wanted to have an intimate relationship with Lorna. I wasn’t ready to give her up, not now that I’d accepted that she was meant for me. I wanted all her attention and the love she so willingly shared with the others. The way she constantly considered their feelings—our feelings—made me want her even more.

Lorna’s soft laugh had me turning back to the doorway. Her slender arm was linked with Kenrid’s, who graced her with the smile that was hers alone. Elliott dropped back a step to allow them to walk through the door. His eyes drifted down her body, blazing with his desire and possessiveness. Damon smacked him on the shoulder and pushed him into the room.

I met them in the middle of the space, nodding at my team and giving Lorna my full attention. She and I would have to get this started. No, she would have to do it. Biting her when I had no other choice—and not a good choice—was completely different from what we were about to do.

All the reasons I’d stopped taking blood directly from humans rushed through my mind like a bad movie. I despised being a parasite. Before humans developed the technology to store blood, vampires only had two choices: I could take blood from a human either unwillingly or unknowingly, or I could keep thralls.

I’d hated the deception of entrancing a human to bite them. I refused to take anyone’s blood by force. Even though thralls offered their blood willingly, they’d been nothing more than pampered slaves.

I wouldn’t do any of those things to Lorna.

“So.” Lorna slipped her arm away from Kenrid and clasped her hands together. “How do we do this?”

“I’m pretty sure it starts with you and Nathan,” Elliott replied from his spot right behind her.

“No kidding.” Lorna glanced up and over her shoulder at Elliott. She tried to hide her smile, but it didn’t work. He smirked, then blew her a kiss. Lorna blushed and spun back to face me.

She extended her arm to me. “Just like last time?”

I took her trembling fingers in mine and pulled her closer. “I can’t force you to do this.”

“You’re not forcing me to do anything, Nathan.”

“It feels like I am.” I pressed her palm against my chest. “You’re shaking.”

Her eyes swirled to black, and a tiny smirk revealed her dhampir.

“Shaking with desire.” The edginess of Mir’s voice accompanied the scent of her arousal. “You made me feel like a goddess last time. I can’t wait to do it again.”

I hoped like hell the heat consuming my face was not a blush. I wasn’t sure if she was talking about our shared blood or the orgasm I gave her. I froze when her free hand brushed against my arm and made its way to my neck. Her fingers danced along the artery pulsing beneath my skin.

“Can I bite you here?” she whispered. “Or is it too soon?”

My vampire rose to the surface, my fangs scraping my lower lip. Yes, I wanted her mouth on my neck. I buried my fingers in her hair and guided her to my neck. When her lips touched my skin, my already hardening dick stood at attention. Her tiny fangs pierced my skin a moment later, but I couldn’t feel the pain.

All I could feel was her sucking my neck and wishing her beautiful mouth was somewhere else. My dick pressed painfully against my zipper, but I wasn’t about to move to adjust it. Lorna groaned, and my head leaned to the side, giving her more. I would always give her more.

All too soon, she pulled her mouth from my neck and licked the tiny holes she left behind. I immediately missed the feel of her.

“Your turn.”

I forced my eyes open and blinked several times. She hadn’t entranced me, had she? I didn’t think so. I already knew what her magic felt like. There was nothing between us now other than desire. My breath hitched as I took Lorna in.

Her hazel eyes held my gaze, not with magic, but with the intensity of her desire. For me. Even though the others were in a loose circle around us, Lorna only saw me.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. She pulled her hand off my chest and slid her arms around my waist. When her tongue swept the edge of my mouth, I welcomed it. I pulled her body against mine, needing her to feel how much I wanted her.

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