Page 28 of These Dangerous Fates

Malakai releases Cade long enough to say, “I think she enjoys watching me suck your dick, Cade.”

Cade opens his eyes and looks at me through his hooded lids. Even with Malakai giving him a blow job, he gives me the sweetest smile. “Kiss me?”

My body comes to life with those words. The way he kisses me like I’m precious to him, like he’s dying and only I can give him life—it’s addicting. So I push myself up onto my elbow and lean over him, my hand resting on his chest. It amazes me how easily I let myself touch him.

He grins eagerly. “We could have a lot of fun with this,” he says, then pulls me down and kisses me.

He kisses me until we both are starved for oxygen, and he only pulls away to throw his head back as he comes. I bite my lip and watch him, his body tensing and moving with each wave. It’s beautiful and sexy at the same time, and it makes my heart do a weird thump in my chest.

Malakai sucks every last drop from Cade before lifting his head with a grin. “So much fucking fun.”

Cade tucks himself back into his sweatpants and tugs me down until my head is resting on his heaving chest. “Was that okay?” he asks, lazily drawing random patterns on my arm with his finger.

I bury my face in his shirt, inhaling his scent, and smile. “It was more than okay.”

“As amazing as all that was, we need to get moving. We have a challenge to prepare for.” Malakai grins at us and winks before heading for the door. “Meet in the library in ten minutes.”

Cade rubs my back in gentle circles. “Are you sure that was okay?”

“Thank you,” I say, and have to swallow. My throat is tight and the words hurt as I force them out. Not because I’m not thankful. Not because I don’t want to thank him. They hurt because I have to say them in the first place.

Sam took so much from me. My trust. My pleasure. My ability to feel safe in my own skin. Tonight, Cade gave a little bit of that back to me. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to thank him enough for that.

“Don’t thank me, love. It was my pleasure.” He grins. “Literally.” His grin turns into that sweet smile I can’t get enough of. “I feel like I should be thanking you. For trusting me, for letting me do that. I hope we can do it again sometime.”

I duck my head, and whisper, “I’d like that.”

Malakai

In the parking lot behind the Kennedy building, the four of us gather around Sterling’s Land Rover. I tell myself I’m just making sure everything is secured properly, as I approach Ellis and check the holster at her back where her gun is resting. I’m not doing it to get my hands on her, not at all.

She looks like she was made for us, wearing black leggings and a tank top. Somewhere Sterling found her a pair of black knee-high boots, and I have to adjust myself when she isn’t looking. Her ensemble is topped off with a black leather jacket. A few loose curls frame her face, having already escaped the braid she attempted to tame her hair into. The image she paints is of a sexy avenging angel, and it makes me want to get her on the back of my bike. How fucking hot would it be to have her body pressed against mine as we speed through the city? Damn. I really need to make that happen.

I don’t need to reach deep into my power to feel her nerves and fear. It washes over me like a current, electrical pulses I can’t tune out like I usually do. She shifts back and forth on her feet, her gaze darting around the parking lot, never settling on one thing for longer than a second.

I grasp her hand in mine, her fingers trembling slightly, and wait for her to look at me. “Everything is going to be fine. Sterling and Cade won’t let anything happen to you.”

Cade wraps an arm around her shoulders and gives her a squeeze. She doesn’t look convinced, but she nods anyway.

I tug on my black gloves and adjust the hood of my jacket. With the hood, gloves, and a pair of sunglasses, there is minimal sun that can reach my skin. The whole vampires can’t go out in the light theory is a bunch of shit. We can and we do. It won’t kill us immediately, but it also isn’t comfortable. Typically, we stick to the nighttime hours, like the vampires in the stories.

If we have to go out during the day, wearing long sleeves and hoods provides a layer of protection against the energy drain of the sun. That’s what happens when we’re exposed to direct sunlight. It drains our energy. One massive energy suck. If we stay in the sun for too long, we will die. But it would take hours.

I have extensively trained my body in direct sunlight. As a result, I have built up a tolerance to the sun that most vampires don’t have. I’m counting on that during this contest to give me a leg up against the other vampires and to let other non-vamps think it’s a weakness they can use against me.

“Everyone ready?” Sterling asks, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck.

The three of us—Sterling, Cade, and I—exchange a look, a silent conversation passing between us, reminding ourselves what’s at stake. Something shifted for all three of us after her admission of what Sam has done to her. This is no longer just a fun training exercise. We all agree, our priority now is to keep Ellis safe. The fierceness of that conviction makes me swallow. I shouldn’t feel so strongly about her when I barely know her, but the incessant tugging in my gut makes it impossible to ignore. And I won’t even be able to help protect her as I complete the challenge. But I trust these guys with my life, so I know I can trust her life with them as well.

As we make our way around the building, I’m assaulted by emotions. It seems like the entire city has turned up to watch this, and the onslaught of their excitement slams against my mental barriers, even though I’ve had a lot of practice shutting it down. I have to grit my teeth as I fortify my mental shields. It disgusts me. Did anyone even think about Ellis and how all of this affects her?

The rest of the contestants gather at the bottom of the steps of the Kennedy building. I spot Sam and Ellis’s dad immediately, both of them radiating a commanding presence that’s impossible to ignore. Ellis’s fear scrapes against my mind. It’s so strong I can feel it amid all the other emotions, and I’m amazed she’s still standing. I glance at her, and a mixture of anger and sadness wash through me. No one should have to go through what she did, and the fact that it was her, my Ellis, makes it so much worse. Ignoring the wave of shock that pauses me in my tracks at the thought of Ellis being mine, I step toward her. With her face drained of color and slight tremors vibrating her body, she looks utterly petrified.

I grasp her face in my hands, forcing her gaze away from her tormentors. “Ellis, look at me.”

“Don’t let them take me,” she pleads, fingers gripping my shirt tightly enough to leave wrinkles. Her voice is a hoarse whisper, her eyes wild and fear-filled.

The words cut through me. The desperation and terror like a knife sharp enough to slice to the bone, and I swear my heart bleeds from them. Cade tightens his arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer.

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