Page 44 of Death is My Ride or Die

The vampire’s eyes met mine. I couldn’t move. His pretty illusion strobed in and out. Beautiful man. Monster. Beautiful man. But I hardly cared, as I was consumed with an indescribable heat. A spell glued my feet to the ground.

The dark-eyed vampire tossed his topless woman to the side and stood, closing the gap between us with a few swaggering strides. One sultry smile and I fell deeper into the trance.

“So beautiful . . . ” The vampire lifted my hand to kiss it. “So pure . . . ”

“So pure,” I murmured.

His nails were long and sharp as glass as he brushed my cheek. “So . . . delectable.”

The vampire’s mouth parted, long canines extending. He was leaning in close when a large, leather-gloved hand shot out from over my shoulder and enveloped his throat. The vampire’s eyes bugged out like one of those eye-popping stress toys.

“So . . .not happening,” Death hissed and snapped the vampire’s neck in one sharp, vicious movement before throwing him over the glass railing to our right. He fell a whole story down onto the dance floor.

I leaned over the railing and stared numbly at the horrified reaction of the crowd below.

Black leather stepped into my line of vision. Death wedged himself between the railing and me, leaving a portion of his sharp, tattooed features exposed to the light.

“No socializing,” Death said, ticking off his gloved fingers in front of my face, “no drinking, and no Faithing. You had three rules. Three. You have the attention span of a squirrel on crack, and you . . .Hello?”

I sighed. “I want to be ravished by a vampire.”

Death let out a monstrous, frustrated noise and leaned down so that his mouth was at my ear. “I’m naked and dripping with sweat.”

I was torn from the spell. I blinked up at the Grim Reaper, whose furious cat eyes were glowing and drilling into me. The vampire. The neck breaking. The spell. The swooning.Oh God.

“Hell’s prince,” a voice declared. “In a demon club?”

Death’s fangs gnashed together, and he slowly turned around to face a group of beautiful, pale vampires.

“Yes, Hell’s prince indeed.” A tall vampire with slivery hair and eyes to match stepped into the space the others had cleared. He was the only vampire with color in his irises.

“I’d know those dishonorable markings anywhere,” the silver-haired vampire remarked. “Enlighten me, Angel of Death. What is the penalty for attacking a newborn of an affiliate of Lucifer’s comity?” When Death said nothing in response, that silver gaze slid to mine. “I am Duncan, by the way. Master of the Crypt clan.”

“Nobody asked, Dunkin’ Donuts,” Death snarled.

“Cheeky,” Duncan said dryly, while his focus remained on me. “Goddess, you are a sight for sore eyes.”

I looked down at my baggy sweatshirt and leggings. “Um.”

“Not the outfit. Your essence, love,” the vampire said. “It’s luminous.”

“I’m blushing,” Death said and then clutched my arm to tug me past the vampires. However, they shifted directly into our path.

“Not so fast, Grim,” Duncan said. “Where is your pet’s mark?” He held Death’s simmering stare. “Or is she something to hide?”

Death slung a heavy, leather-clad arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him. If a neon sign hovered over my head, it would have had an arrow pointed toward Death, and it would have read: “HIS.”

“She doesn’t need a mark,” Death said. “She’s my girl.”

My stomach flipped. As strategic as the gesture might have been, Death was an intoxicating presence, and I had to stop myself from huddling closer.

The master vampire smiled thinly. “Your girlisn’t my type anyway.” His tone betrayed him. If anything, we’d piqued his curiosity. “She’s skin and bones.”

Death’s arm tightened around my shoulders. I felt my fingertips tingle as a surge of sudden energy built inside of me. They must have started to glow, because Death clamped down on my hands with his free glove.

Duncan arched a brow at our joined hands. “He should keep you on a leash, love.” He switched his gaze to Death. “He might lose you like he’s lost his scythe.”

“Let me be clear,” Death snarled. “I will respect Lucifer’s rules, but you are not above me, and you will never insult what’s mine again.” In an instant, Death’s pupils consumed both of his eyes. “Otherwise, I will tear your fucking head off, you menial parasite. Now get out of our way.”

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