Page 31 of The Sins of Silas

His smile fell, and he took a step closer. “I’m not,” he whispered. “I want to kiss you.” A shy smile emerged, his eyes falling to my lips. “I have since I did in that maid’s room, truthfully. Perhaps even before that…”

“Roland,” I breathed, pressure forming between my thighs as his lustful eyes found mine.

My gaze drifted over his shoulder, looking at our friends conversing over the fire.

Silas locked eyes with mine, and his brows lowered, his arm wrapping around his wife’s waist. My eyes slowly trailed back to Roland’s, then fell to his lips.

“Would just a kiss satisfy you?” I murmured, my heart racing so fast it almost hurt.

He stepped closer, his body just inches from mine. He purred into my ear, “Until we are alone…yes.”

Fuck.

The need for his body became unbearable as his eyes darkened, as his hands grasped my waist, as—

It happened so fast.

The movement.

The scream.

One second, Roland was before me, about to press his lips to mine.

The next, he was on the ground, wailing in agony as a Vampire began ripping through his throat.

I didn’t think, just shrieked—lurching myself forward, engulfing my body in flame as I wrapped my arms around the creature.

It roared, falling back with me holding it still. Silas was running, then managed to plunge his sword through its head just as I released it, backing away. My skin was hot, but I managed to stop before my skin began to burn.

My eyes darted to Roland, who was still lying on the ground, blood gushing from his neck.

I stumbled to him. “ROLAND!” I cried.

He was clutching his throat, choking. His eyes widened as he pointed behind me.

There was no time to react before I was thrown to the ground, almost crashing into our fire. My eyes met the red ones of three other Vampires, and I quickly retrieved my sword, which was sheathed beside me.

My lip curled as I stood. “Elowen, get to Roland!”

The healer was frozen, knees wobbling.

“NOW!” I yelled.

The Vampires just stared, their eyes dilating in hunger. It was two women and a man, the latter staring at me with what almost looked like fright.

Elowen went to move, and one of the females advanced, grasping her.

Edmund chucked one of the nightshade bombs. She was fast, but still, as the contents of the bottle dispersed, the Vampire’s skin began sizzling. She released Elowen, falling back.

El screamed, once again freezing from fear, just as I willed my magic into my enchanted blade. I advanced, piercing the creature's torso as flame crept up the metal, and she bellowed, her body turning to dust.

I heard another bottle breaking and more screaming as I withdrew my weapon, and the Vampire below me disintegrated away.Hendry had chucked another vial of nightshade just as the other female bit Erabella, and I ran, slicing through that one with my burning blade, her body turning to nothing but ash.

My eyes then went to the panicked ones of the male who remained. He went for Silas, moving faster than any creature I’d ever seen.

Silas was ready. He plunged his sword straight into the Vampire’s chest. But steel alone couldn’t kill a creature like that.

Holding the magical sword that Immeron had gifted me, I twirled it in my hands, readying my stance, and charged toward the Vampire.

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