Page 37 of Flock This

“So I can go then?” I scooted back on the bed just a little, trying to gain some space, feeling trapped there by his much larger body. “Wonderful—this was a fun little reunion. You enjoy that lube.”

He caught me before I got far, placing his hand behind my neck to stop my retreat. “Not so fast. Like I said, as my thrall, you’re my responsibility now.”

I swallowed hard at the way he said my. It reminded me of how he’d said the same thing to Lima, the way he’d said mine. It was thick and heady and downright addictive.

Which again annoyed my crow, as though she croaked in my ear that she would belong to no man.

“What if I promise to be good?”

“As if you know how. The thing is that if you’re here, if you’re mine, you have to play the part.” He rubbed his thumb across my pulse.

Could he feel how fast it raced? Probably, the bastard. I’d bet he could hear my heart as it pounded wildly.

“I could really make you mine. One little bite and it’d be real.”

I shook my head but didn’t pull away. The truth was that if he wanted to do it, I couldn’t stop him.

Boy, that’s frustrating. I had talents of my own, but I often felt wholly underpowered when it came to other Spirits. They were stronger, faster, more vicious.

Me? Just more annoying.

We were locked together like that for so long that my chest hurt, my breath rough. Would he do it?

He sighed and shook his head. “I can’t, not against your will, not yet. Someday, you’ll ask me to, though. However, I can’t leave you unclaimed, either. To sell the story and give you my protection here, you’ll need to carry my mark.”

“You just said—”

“There’s more than one way to mark you. You see, vampire venom creates thralls, but you’ll carry my mark in other ways. If I had sex with you, if I came deep inside you, you’d carry my scent.” He set his palm on my lower stomach, his hand large enough to span across my front. The warmth and pressure felt like a promise, one I wanted him to live up to. “Doing that would show you were mine, don’t you think?”

I didn’t respond because my brain had fucked off. It wasn’t willing to think deeply right now, too turned on to make sense of why that was a terrible idea.

And if I had a speck of brainpower at the moment, I’d know it was a really bad idea. Kelvin was dangerous, and him being pantsless made him no less dangerous.

It might make him more dangerous, in fact. I had a sneaking suspicion that as charming as he was normally, his charisma might go up when naked.

He chuckled, his warm breath teasing my face, his lips close enough I could have leaned forward and pressed mine against his. Instead, he pulled back and turned away from me. He went to the large safe door, pressing his palm against a reader at the front. A loud click signaled it unlocking, and he disappeared into the darkness inside.

I slid off the bed, drawn by the mystery of that room. Just what would he keep locked in there?

Before I could see anything, Kelvin came back out and shut it behind him. His smirk said he knew I’d been trying to get a peek, but he didn’t appear bothered by it. Instead, he held up a small orange bottle and shook it, making the pills inside rattle.

“Thanks, but I don’t take drugs from shady people.”

“Do not-shady people give out drugs?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but couldn’t come up with anything good. “What are they?”

“They’re similar to the withdrawal medication they give to unclaimed thralls, but these carry my blood, so you will carry my scent instead.”

“But it won’t be real, right? We won’t have a bond?”

“Sadly, no. Unless you want me to make it real?” He lifted his dark eyebrow.

“I’ll take the drugs.”

He snorted and tossed me the bottle, the rattle of it loud when I caught it mid-air. “Take one pill each day. It can cause insomnia, dry mouth, and occasionally wet dreams about the vampire it’s made from—so enjoy those.”

“I do plan to enjoy them. I’m sure they’re the only chance you’d have at getting me wet.”

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