Page 81 of The Vampire's Bride

“No.” Her lips curve in a stunning smile as she turns to me. “It’s so much more.”

As we walk along the sand, she gathers shells, slipping them into her dress pocket, while I scan the shoreline, searching for more to add to her collection.

She picks up a scalloped seashell with a banded pattern of gray and white, smiling brightly as she holds it out for my inspection. “Look how lovely this is, Valaric.”

My lips quirk up at the edges. Her joy is infectious.

I turn to look for more shells, when she suddenly yells out. “Valaric!”

Her sharp cry spikes panic in my chest, and I spin back to her. She jumps into my arms and scrambles up my body. Protective instincts surge through me as her fear scent floods my nostrils.

“Something grabbed my ankle.” Her eyes are wide with fear.

I scan for any danger. My fangs lengthen and a menacing growl rumbles deep in my chest. Whatever tried to harm her, I will find it, and kill it quickly.

“What if it was a kraken?”

I shake my head. “They prefer to hunt in deeper waters. It’s why the Merfolk stay so close to shore.”

“Could it be one of them?”

“If it were one of theMer, they would probably already be trying to lure you away with their siren’s song.”

A long piece of seaweed floats along the surface and wraps around my ankle. Relief floods my veins. “It’s all right. It was just seaweed.”

Juliet shifts in my arms and looks down at the dark water. “Are you sure?”

The movement is like a bolt of lightning through my body, making me acutely aware of how close we are. Her arms are twined around my neck, her dress is hitched up to her thighs, and her legs are wrapped tightly around my waist.

I open my mouth to speak, only to find that I cannot think of the words, much less form a coherent thought with her body practically molded to my own. I clench my jaw as mystavlengthens and extends from my body, hard as steel and painfully erect.

My arm is looped around her waist and my other hand is on her backside, supporting her slight weight. She shifts again, and I bite back a groan as the warmth of her core lines up perfectly with my hardened length. Only a few layers of clothing separating me from her entrance.

I swallow hard. “Yes.”

She lifts her gaze to mine and murmurs something about being too heavy, saying that I can put her down if I wish. But I’m so lost in her eyes and the feel of her body pressed against me, I do not quite catch all of it. “What?”

“I said I’m sure I’m heavy. You’re still holding me.”

“You are not,” I reply. “And I am.” Unable to stop myself, I cup her jaw, brushing my thumb lightly across her cheek. I watch in wonder as a pink flush follows in its wake. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

If I didn’t know she was human, I might be worried that she was a siren, disguised to lure me to my doom.

Through the faint connection of our bond, I can sense her desire and longing. I’m surprised to find that it matches my own. And yet… I do not wish to presume anything and make her uncomfortable.

“Would you like me to let you go?” I ask, even as my wings instinctively curl around her, pulling her closer.

I want her so much it is maddening.

“No.” She runs her delicate fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck. Her luminous eyes search mine, and I am completely in her thrall as she whispers, “Kiss me, Valaric.”

Primal possession surges through me. Unable to hold back, I capture her mouth with my own in a searing kiss. I trace my tongue along the seam of her mouth, demanding entrance. The darkness within me purrs as her lips part beneath mine as she surrenders to the invasion.

I love the taste of her mouth and the breathless moans that escape her as my tongue strokes against hers.

She’s so perfect. Soft. Mine.

I press her back against the cliff face wall, my wings cushioning her against the rock as my hips fit between her thighs. Desire burns through me as the dark and ravenous creature within claws its way to the surface, desperate to possess her, devour her, claim her as my mate.

---