Page 82 of The Vampire's Bride

She curls her tongue around mine and threads her fingers through my hair. I groan as her nails scrape lightly across my scalp.

“Valaric.” My name spills from her lips in a soft moan as I roll my hips against hers, reveling in the delicious heat and friction between us.

The enticing scent of her arousal twines in the air around us. I’m desperate to be inside her.

I tug down the neckline of her dress and her breasts spill free of the confining gown.

Juliet stares at me with a half-lidded gaze full of desire as I gently cup one soft globe in my palm and roll the sensitive tip between my thumb and forefinger. She inhales sharply as I guide the peak into my mouth.

Her entire body is so soft and giving, and I love the little sounds she makes and the way her blunt nails dig into my shoulders as I tease my tongue over her breast, laving at the stiff peak.

“Valaric,” she breathes out my name.

Need threatens to overwhelm me as the scent of her arousal grows even stronger. I long, more than anything, to bury myself deep in her warm, wet heat. To give her my venom—to change her scent and mark her as my mate.

Dark and primal desire surges through me as I extend my fangs, ready to claim what is mine. I trace my tongue over the hollow at the base of her throat, pressing a series of suctioning kisses down her chest until I reach the space above her heart.

I graze my fangs over her tender flesh and venom floods my mouth. Long tendrils of fierce possession uncoil deep inside as the darkness within me writhes beneath the surface, demanding that I mark her and claim her.

I pull back just enough to look into her eyes. She cups the back of my neck, guiding my lips again to hers in a searing kiss. Doubt and caution fall away as overwhelming desire consumes me. I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want her.

I trace my hand up her outer thigh until I reach the small scrap of silk around her hips. I fist it in my hands, ready to tear it from her body.

“Valaric, wait.” I detect a hint of fear threaded through the scent of her arousal, and I quickly pull away.

In her eyes, I see my own reflection staring back at me. My eyes are feral black and my fangs are bared, and I look every bit the terrifying creature that people think of when they speak of Vampires.

Despair floods my veins. She is afraid of me and has changed her mind, deciding she does not want me after all. I feel for the connection between us, to confirm if I’m right, but my emotions are a tangled mess. I cannot tell what is mine and what is hers.

Guilt washes through me. I fear I may have pushed her too hard, demanding more than she wants to give.

I open my mouth to apologize, but the words die in my throat as a strong gust of wind blows across the cliff wall, carrying the scent of spiced apples. I still as awareness prickles my flesh. Quickly, I pull away from my bride and gently set her on her feet.

Confusion mars her beautiful features as I lift my gaze to the night sky. A winged shadow passes overhead and alights on the main second story balcony of the manor. “What’s wrong, Valaric?”

“Aerlyx has returned.”

CHAPTER 30

JULIET

Valaric gathers me into his arms before he spreads his massive wings and takes off into the sky. I wrap my arms tight around his neck as he ascends above the cliff wall and heads straight for the manor.

He lands on the balcony, outside my bedroom, and rushes inside. “I want you to wait here while I speak with Aerlyx. I’ll come for you as soon as I can.”

“Is he dangerous?” I search his eyes. “Are you worried he might try to harm me?”

“No, but he may try to steal you.”

Worry trips my heart.“What?”

“I will return soon.” He gestures to the door. “Lock this when I leave.”

“Valaric, wait!”

“Stay here, Juliet.” His crimson eyes pierce mine. “I will ward the room.”

Before I can say anything else, he steps out into the hallway and shuts the door behind him. Purple light flashes around theframe before fading into a soft glow and then disappearing into the wood.

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