Page 3 of Master Slobozia

Chara rolls her eyes at me. “Stop worrying so much. You’ll make the team, Taylen.”

I smile gently outwardly, and my heart beats with desire but doubts of that ever coming true. “A girl can dream.”

My friend’s eyes drift over to the vampire master whose dark orbs still heat my skin every once in a while, when he glances my way. She doesn’t miss a damn thing, smirking as her eyes light with amusement. “Master Slobozia is nice. Maybe he’ll put in a good word for you with whoever is selecting the warriors.”

My mouth gapes. “Nice and bossy, nice and arrogant, and nice and assholish.”

She laughs out loud, drawing the attention of the other females who saunter our way, all geared up with swords, daggers, and their weapons of choice. I give my friend narrowed eyes, but know it won’t keep her silent for long. Lucianna, who wears two daggers tucked into her vest, looks from us to Raven, Willow, and Madria and then back again with those crystalline green eyes that see everything, as she laughs. “Fine, I’ll ask.”

I eye Lucianna and the group of witchy ladies with suspicion. “Ask what?”

Raven, the short dark-haired pixie-like one who’s managed to wrap Master Romano around her little finger leans in close. “We heard you and Master Slobozia arguing earlier. No one stands up to him the way you did.”

I grin. “I’m not usually that outspoken. The tirade just came spewing out of my mouth. I was so mad!”

She shakes her head with a smile. “He must like you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t allow you to come along. No matter what you said. He doesn’t even talk or put up with most people. Maybe he’ll allow it.”

Now it’s my turn to gape. “Allow it? What are we in the dark ages? I don’t know how you witches roll, but he is not my boss. He has absolutely no say in whether I come on this mission or not. I’m here to help the masters’ cause, to defend the righteous vampires from Lucas and the rogues. I couldn’t care less whether Master Slobozia the great pureblooded vampire wants me here or not. I’m staying. If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t need to come along.”

I don’t need to see him to feel him, because he causes every neuron in my body to come alive.

My skin suddenly prickles with electrical energy. Slobozia’s gaze rakes irritatingly slowly over the entire length of me, taking in every inch, causing the skin beneath my clothes to heat. I turn from the group of women who continue their conversation without a hint of what’s going on between me and the dark-souled beast.

His dark black eyes are like magnets, as they change to a glowing deep blood red. He should know right here and now before we set out on this journey that I’m not taking orders from the likes of him. I work for Overmaster Descallia and all the masters, not him.

His eyes flash a warning of red, no doubt reading my mind, the arrogant beast. I huff internally at the intrusion. Fine, betterthat it’s out in the open, then we can get on with what we need to do.You’re not the boss of me, vampire.

A slow, wide grin plays along his lips, and his eyes brighten to a full-on red causing my heart to clamor against my chest at an unprecedented rate.You’re on my mission, I am the boss of you.

My blood pumps with fury. The handsome beast is smug in his arrogance while I grapple for just the right words to put the asshole in his place.I’m not one of your playmates in the VIP dungeon. I do what I want, when I want. What do you say to that, vampire?”

Chapter 3

Slobozia

Alow roar grumbles from deep within my chest at the same time my fangs descend. That female is insufferable. First the battle at the club, then getting in my way and preventing us from capturing the enemy before he got away, and then insisting that we take her on the last leg of our journey to hunt our foe.

When I find him, I’ll drive that stake center mast so fast the traitorous beast won’t have time to disappear or have the ability to recover from a wound just millimeters off of center. No, I’ll hit that mark dead on, ensuring he is buried in ash.

Not if I have to babysit the sinfully hot little she-devil though.

How Overmaster Descallia expects me to focus while taking care of the hot little vampiress is beyond me. As if that long lean body with feminine curves in all the right places weren’t causing my cock to harden at a moment’s notice, tempting me to lose focus of the job at hand, that sharp little tongue of hers defies me every chance she gets.

The growl is barely discernable, yet it bubbles up through my chest just the same. She’ll learn the hard way that I don’t play games and that I am the boss. I stalk toward her.

I’m not one of her vampire admirers who she can toy with in that way. I’ve heard the other vampires talk about the ice queen with the long sleek waist and curved ass who makes them all go crazy with unresolved desire. Hell, I’ve heard the rumors all the way in my region. Now I see exactly why all the vampires vie for her attention at the club. But her womanly wiles won’t work. A sound paddling for her trouble is what she’ll get from me.

Taylen’s eyes flash bright red as they turn and her fangs descend, spilling over the top of her sexy full lips as she reads my mind.Not in your wildest dreams, asshole.

I grin, momentarily forgetting the connection making it possible for her to read my every thought as though I were speaking aloud if I don’t block her out. I take in her beauty, watching as she inwardly wrestles with her obvious denial. She can’t hide the racing of her blood, the increased beating of her heart or the smell of her arousal from me. And I do love a challenge.We’ll see sweetheart.

Her eyes widen, and Taylen turns her back to me, focusing on the women and their conversation while undoubtedly trying to get her emotions in check. I let her do just that, let her steep in the knowledge of her attraction, her desire to be on my bench, or underneath me as I satisfy her need. I draw my eyes away from the curvy ass sheathed in tight black jeans, all the way down to her black boots. Her hair sways in the breeze as she speaks with the women and pointedly ignores me, while they prepare to join us on the hunt.

I draw my eyes away from the beauty, still standing by our temporary camp, who for all purposes of the battle has admittedly won this match. It’s clear to everyone, including me, that Taylen is coming with us, no matter what I want or what I say. I’ve heard of her skill, but she will have to prove that to me after what happened in the forest.

In the meantime, I’ll just have to figure out how to keep her safe and from getting in the middle of a battle that she doesn’t need to fight or can’t win. Because Lucas is mine. He’s crossed into Slobozian territory now, a place an enemy of mine should never be. He’ll learn that at the bloody end of my sword if I have to follow him to the ends of the earth, instead of right here in the Slobozia region where I intend to end his reign of evil and deceit.

Overmaster Descallia meets my gaze from his place by the other masters. I give him a nod.We’re almost ready.If Lucas is headed for my region, we’ll find him. There’s nowhere he can go there that will keep him safe from me and the lords in my region, that’s for sure.

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