Page 51 of Fated In Blood

As a bonus, Evangeline Silverwood was lightning in a bottle, and I tugged her tighter against me, her curves filling my hands perfectly, her body moving against mine, promising the sort of pleasure I’d never forget.

And that husky, wanton moan made my cock throb, already hard and aching to get inside her.

But beneath the soap and shampoo and coating of Collum’s blood, she was still covered in Blake’s scent, and my chest tightened with pity. The poor bastard. Obviously, discovering her identity had come after the feeding and the fucking, and once I got her home and locked up tight, I’d find my oldest friend and try to un-fuck his head the best I could.

Then we’d begin our campaign to dethrone Tyrell and put him in the ground where he could rot, right beside my shithole sire.

I was so lost in her soft, demanding lips moving against my throat and my plans of revenge, I almost missed the blur of motion coming from my right.

Almost.

I crushed her in my arms and spun away from the threat, casting out a whip of magic.

Devouring blue fire shot out from my hand in a perfect arc, carving a furrow straight through my attacker’s chest. The tips of those glowing flames were wreathed in white flames, hot enough to slice through everything they touched.

The attacker fell, nearly cut in half, no blood because heat cauterized the wounds, and I shoved the girl away as two more assailants raced out of the woods, her fangs ripping out of mythroat as she crashed to the ground, blood spilling down my chest.

Euphoria flooded through me.

I didn’t have to hold back. Not where prying eyes weren’t watching.

Not when the stakes were so high and I had a secret weapon to end our war.

Not when my magic was clawing at my skin to break free, and it had been so very long since I’d truly wielded my powers with no real limits.

Another whip of magic and the second male dodged away, but too slowly. I took his arm with one clean blow, then his head when he stumbled, leaving his scream and a shower of sparks dancing in the air.

The third male was cagier, vanishing then reappearing, hopscotching across the rocky ground a few feet at a time, the red glow at the tips of his fingers growing brighter every time he re- materialized.

The girl rose up on all fours, growling deep in her chest, and I stepped between her and the oncoming aggressor. I wasn’t about to lose her. For all I knew, Tyrell sent these assholes and she was the real target.

Fuck, maybe he realized he’d handed me a ticking time bomb.

When the male appeared again, I was already cleaving the air in half with a lash of fire, waist high, taking out trees and stone…and the wide-eyed attacker, who got off one burst of magic before he fell in pieces to the ground.

“Stay the fuck down,” I shouted, and the girl threw herself back on the ground.

A streak of red lightning rocketed past us, heat searing across my cheek before striking the wall of stone behind me. Red veinsof power spiderwebbed across the stone, then the entire cliff sheared off with a roar, crashing into the water below.

The echo rumbled across the valley.

I nudged the first attacker with my toe then flipped him over. His chest gaped open where my magic had caught him, revealing cracked ribs, his organs pulverized. Evangeline curled in on herself and heaved up a mouthful of blood as I frowned.

“I’d think you'd be accustomed to carnage, being a Silverwood.” I chuckled, wiping away the blood still streaming freely down my neck. I licked my fingers and sealed myself up.

She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as I reminded myself that a few days ago she was human. A bloodthirsty human, but human nonetheless.

Still, some strange, possessive impulse took over, jealousy or something just as worthless, when she stared up at me, a trickle of red marking her chin. Then she doubled over again, gagging.

That wasmyblood. Mine.

Male pride shivered through me. Since Blake feeding her was off the table, I’d give her everything she needed until she was stronger than she’d ever been. Until she became a weapon for me to wield.

“Don’t.” I pulled her to her feet. “You’ll waste my blood and will have to feed sooner than expected. Right now, you need sleep. I’m taking you back to Crimson House.” I gripped her chin and stared into those astonishing blue eyes. Clear. Focused. Still blown wide from feeding and the rush of adrenaline, but she was in full control.

Remarkable.

I’d seen seasoned vampires take days to get their faculties back after a rampage.

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