Page 52 of Blood Moon Heat

He’d arrived at the prime’s home and…there were screams—blood.

I sucked in a sharp breath. “You killed them. You killed all of them.”

His eyes flashed bright. “Yes.”

“You can’t…they’re the elders.” My gaze shot to the door. The court would come. They would barge in at any moment and drag us away. “We need to leave. If you stay, they’ll execute you. They’ll kill you, Nero.”

He put down the glass and gently slid the backs of his fingers along my cheek. “Would that make you sad, Mina? If they killed me? If you couldn’t see me ever again?”

I stared into his violet eyes. They were different somehow. “Yes, of course,” I said without hesitation. Because I would, despite everything.

He studied me, then moved in that controlled way of his, easing back the covers and lifting me from the bed. Then he climbed in, holding me to him, and pulled the quilt back up so it was covering me completely.

“I can sense your hunger. You need to feed,” he murmured.

I did. I was so incredibly hungry. Placing my hand on his smooth chest, I pressed my nose to his skin and breathed in his comforting scent. How was it possible that this male, who had been so cold when he first brought me here, could give me that kind of solace, could be a safe place for me. I never thought it was possible. I’d wanted it, but deep down, I didn’t believe I could have it, not with him, not really. His arms were around me, his scent so good it had distracted me. I lifted my head. “The court. Nero. We need to leave, we need to—”

“You’re safe. We’re all safe. I promise. Now feed.”

“How…how can we be safe?”

“My brothers and I spoke with the court, they…decided to see things our way. The prime and the other elders broke their own laws when they took you from my home, when they…did what they did to you. And after some coaxing, the court acknowledged that truth and admitted the elders had been taking advantage of their power for some time.”

“They didn’t know how to stop them?”

He shook his head. “Turns out, I did them a favor.”

Relief flooded me. “Thank you,” I whispered, and not just for the blood. “If you hadn’t come for me—”

“You don’t need to thank me, Lalka.” His gaze caught and held mine. “I will always come for you, no matter what.”

This was a new version of Nero, as if the male he’d buried deep had finally reached the surface. “What happens now? Who will be prime?”

He carefully slid his fingers into my hair and gently held the back of my head. “Enough talking,” he said, encouraging me to bite.

I felt warm and safe and cared for. So I nuzzled his tattooed throat, sliding my tongue along the pulsing vein there, taking in more of his reassuring scent, tasting him.

“Mina,” he said roughly, impatiently.

I realized I was tormenting us both for some reason. I sucked on his skin gently, and his fingers dug in where they rested on my hip, a low growl rolling from deep in his chest.

I bit down slowly, and he hissed, then cursed.

His cock grew hard beneath me.

“No one will ever hurt you again, my precious Lalka,” he said, his deep voice vibrating through me in a way that lifted pleasurable goose bumps all over my skin.

Everything about this moment—the taste of his blood, his arms around me, the proof that he desired me—was perfect. Even after the horror of what happened, I felt content, because I was with Nero. I knew with everything in me that he meant what he said. He would never let anyone hurt me, not ever again.

I fed while Nero murmured low, encouraging me to drink until I was full. I did, drinking until the thirst subsided and I was drowsy and warm. I slid my tongue over the bite I’d made, sealing it, and rested my head against his chest.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Still a little weak, but I can feel my strength coming back, especially now.” I pressed my hand to his chest, sliding it higher, my fingers drifting over the spot I’d just fed from. “You said no one will ever hurt me again.”

“And I meant it,” he said, and I felt a tremor move through him.

“You can’t lock me away to do that. Not again, Nero. You have to promise me, you won’t ever do that again.” I held his gaze. “I’m not Dorotha. You won’t lose me as well.”

---