Page 67 of Marked By Night

Things are really starting to heat up, until something cold and wet brushes against my leg. I jerk, ending up smacking Dante in the face for the second time today. When I glance down, I find Goldie looking up at me with his little doggy smirk. This asshole totally fucking cock-blocked me.

“You better be glad you’re cute,” I snap.

Dante chuckles. “Come on, Angel. Let’s get you two settled.”

He takes us up the stairs and down a hallway, pointing to each door to let me know whose room it is. Elian and Kaos are on either side of me with Dante and Ash across from me.

When Dante opens the door to my room my eyes widen. He ushers my stunned ass inside and Goldie trails in behind me. This place is insane. Half of our old duplex could fit inside here. Not to mention there’s a stocked bar in the corner next to an expensive-looking writing desk and a settee in front of a large TV.

By the window is a four-poster bed that is large enough to fit six people. We could totally have a giant orgy on it or the threesome that’s been stuck in my brain since the festival and still have room. There’s a fluffy white duvet with a gun-metal grey blanket adorning the end, which Goldie claims instantly. He jumps onto the bed and curls up in a ball on it.

“This is too much, Dante,” I say. He glances over at me curiously. “When you’re used to a whole house the size of this room, it’s a little much, you know?”

He grips my chin, forcing me to look him in the eye. “Nothing is too much for you, Angel. You have no idea how much you being here means to us. We’d completely lost hope that we’d ever find our Link. You’re one of us now, so let us take care of you.” He leans in, kissing my forehead.

“Okay, fine,” I say. “But you’re not getting off that easy. I want to learn more about your world sooner rather than later. I don’t like being kept in the dark. Especially when my life is on the line.”

“You got it. We’ll take you over to the compound tomorrow and see if we can’t establish a baseline on your magic.”

With that settled, Dante leaves to get cleaned up with promises that food will come later. I determine a shower is in order for me as well and dash into the ensuite bathroom. I slump down against the door with a heavy sigh. So much has happened in three short days. My head is having a tough time keeping up. But my heart—or should I saymy vagina—is having no trouble at all.

If only things were that simple.

28

Sadie

Dante still isn’t back by the time I finish my hot shower, so I decide to find the kitchen on my own. Goldie tags along with me to keep me company and, surprisingly, we don’t run into any of the guys or the staff.

The kitchen is a chef’s wet dream, fitted with every kind of appliance you could ever imagine. There’s a legit industrial size fridge that reminds me of the ones we had at Harborview. Man, I don’t miss that place one bit.

“What can I get for you?” A masculine voice rumbles.

I whirl around, only settling a fraction when a familiar pair of gold eyes meet mine. “You almost gave me a heart attack, Vin!”

The corner of his lip turns up in a small smile. “I’m so sorry, Miss. I didn’t mean to startle you.” I take in the apron wrapped around his waist and the flour on his hands.

“Wow, you’re a chef too, eh? Man of many talents.”

He nods. “Yes, I’m whatever the Kings need me to be. What would you like to eat?” He names off several food choices, none of which I understand or can repeat.

“You know what, whip me up something you think I’d like.” I move to sit at the Carrara marble island the size of Tahiti sitting smack dab in the center of the room.

Goldie nips my hand, reminding me he’s still with me. Guess he doesn’t like to talk around strangers. “And something meaty for him?”

With a nod, Vin starts rifling around the cabinets finding seemingly random ingredients. I pay him no mind while he cooks around the stovetop. When he’s finished, he places a plate topped with a big juicy steak on the floor for Goldie, then extends another plate with two perfectly aligned sandwiches cut in half my way.

Picking one slice up, I take a tentative bite. Pleasure explodes across my taste buds like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I force myself to hold back a throaty groan, lifting the top of the bread trying to figure out what’s inside, but there doesn’t seem to be anything extra hiding between the pieces of bread. It looks like a typical BLT.

“My Gods, what is in this sandwich?” I ask. “It’s divine.”

“A secret ingredient. That’s what makes it taste so different,” he tells me with a conspiratorial smile.

“What is it?” I ask. “Or is this one of those ‘if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you moments?’”

This makes him bark out a laugh. “For you, we’ll skip the death part.” He leans in across the counter to whisper in my ear. His voice is gravelly and low and his gorgeous golden eyes sparkle. “The secret is grape jelly. The sweetness of the jelly plays off the saltiness in the bacon.”

“Like a sweet and salty combo? Nice. I knew there was something different about it, but I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly it was.” His eyes dip to my lips and my breath catches in my throat.

---