Page 114 of Tin God

Tenzin considered that. “Then what do you suggest?”

“I suggest planning.” He pushed away from the door, closed it, locked the dead bolt, and began to unwrap the layers around her body. “Zasha hasn’t attacked anyone in nearly a week. They’re going to start getting restless, so right now Jennie is putting out an alert to every vampire compound in the area, trying to warn everyone that they could be at risk.”

“That sounds wise, but what are we supposed to do?” She spread her arms. “I’m not going to wait around for another attack.”

“You and I?” He smiled. “Well, after I get finished taking all these blankets off—Buck has modern rain gear, you know—I’m going to strip you naked, lick between your thighs, and make you come very hard.”

Tenzin’s fangs were always down, but they got longer when her blood moved. “Is that the plan?”

“Then, after a couple of hours of that, if we still have some night left, you and I are going to go through Gavin’s list and start tracking all the day people we can find who have worked for Henri Paulson. I want to find out who’s picking up that cash in Vancouver and where they’re taking it.”

“A couple of hours?” Her lips heated at the thought. Ben was very good at the thing he was describing.

“Mm-hmm.” He unwound the last scarf from around her neck and trailed his fingers around her collarbone. “I’m still mad that you left me.” His light touch skimmed over the top of her clothes, circling her nipples, which rose at the sensation of his fingers over her skin. “I might need to torment you a little bit.”

“This is not tormenting behavior, Benjamin.”

Ben reached down and cupped her sex with one hand as he put the other around her throat, holding her still as his fangs scraped along her exposed neck.

“Not yet.” His tongue flicked against the sudden pulse that rose in her veins. “But don’t worry; we’ll get there.”

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Carwyn didn’t waste time after they ended the calls with Oleg and Katya. Those two vampire regents would have to figure out their territorial disputes eventually, but before that, they had a usurper and a sociopath to deal with.

“I wonder,” Brigid muttered.

He looked over at his wife, who was finally beside him, working next to him like she should have been for months.

His heart took a quick double beat when he looked at her.

She noticed and glanced over. “What’s up?”

“I’d break the world for you,” he said quietly. “You know that, don’t you?”

Brigid’s focus broke and her eyes softened. “I don’t want you to break it. Not for me or anyone.”

“That’s why I’d do it without a second thought.” He took a slow, measured breath. “It was a risk doing that. Jennie had twenty vampires gathered around.”

“We calculated the risk of danger against the danger of continuin’ to work on parallel tracks.”

“I know, and you were right.” He frowned. “You understand Oleg better than I do.”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “I asked some mutual friends for their opinions before I went to him for help last autumn. Talked to Anne and her sister Mary. Reached out to Terry in London to get his read. He’s had some dealin’s with Mika in the past.”

“Look at you, my brilliant woman.” The corner of his mouth turned up. “How did you get so smart?”

“Genetics and a lot of fuckups.” She leaned over and pressed a long kiss to his mouth. “And I’ve learned a few things about human nature from the wisest man I know.”

He caught her around the waist. “How dare you call me wise.”

“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I won’t let your secret get out.”

Carwyn pulled her down to the bench and settled her between his spread legs. “It was still a risk. Katya could have gone either way.”

“I know, and we’re in her territory.” She looked up. “But I also know that my husband is a force of nature who’d break the world for me.”

He rested his chin on her shoulder. “And my wife is a warrior who commands fire.”

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