Page 68 of How to Dump a Vampire

Draven nods, eyes distant in thought. I sense him contemplating all the ways tradition shackles us needlessly but also how, with care, those chains might be broken, one link at a time.

Below, the lovers begin drifting back inside, bundled close beneath Anthony’s cloak.

Draven draws me into the turret room and kicks the door shut against the cold. We settle together on the cushioned seat, my head tucked against his shoulder.

This time, it is I who initiate the kiss, seeking to rekindle the tenderness from before. Draven responds ardently, hands tangling in my hair as he claims my mouth. We take our time rediscovering one another, the rest of the world forgotten beyond these walls.

His fingertips trail along my jawline then lower, gently tracing the contours of my collarbone and theexposed swell of my breasts. His touch is feather-light yet searing hot, igniting a fire in my belly that flares into a raging inferno. I moan softly, arching against him.

Draven’s hands move higher, undoing the buttons on my gown with practiced ease. The fabric pools around my feet, leaving me bare but for the sheer chemise that clings to my damp skin. His warmth envelops me as he pulls me flush against his hardened form, and I can feel the evidence of his desire pressing against my stomach.

A low growl rumbles in his chest as he works to divest himself of his own clothes. In this moment, we are two souls bound by an unbreakable bond, fated mates destined for each other since time immemorial—something I am not longer afraid to become.

With shaking hands, I tug down his breeches, revealing his rigid length. Heat blooms on my cheeks, but I set aside modesty. This is Draven, the only person who has ever seen and accepted me as I am.

I take him into my mouth, savoring the taste of him on my tongue. He groans above me, fingers gripping the stone behind me as I explore every inch of him with growing boldness.

Draven’s hand cups the back of my head, gently guiding me as I learn anew the rhythms that please him best. My name is a litany on his lips, half curse, half prayer, spurring me on.

When he can no longer stand it, he lifts me up and settles me straddling his hips. “I want to see your face as I make love to you,” he whispers hoarsely, flames flickering in his eyes.

Slowly, achingly so, he enters me, an exquisite ache that tightens my core around him. Our gazes meet and lock as our bodies move together in an age-old dance. The connection between us deepens with every thrust, bodies entwining, souls entwined as one.

At the heights of ecstasy, our fangs descend.

As he rocks into me, my fangs graze his neck, and my hunger overwhelms me. He looks at me with a mix of lust and determination in his eyes. I bite.

His rich, heady blood floods my mouth, and a feeling unlike any other roars through me. Our connection solidifies, forged by the very essence of who we are. I know I am home—in his arms and in his heart.

He growls low and bites down on my neck, his fangs sinking into my vein. The climax hits, crashing over us in a wave so intensethat I see stars.

Still joined, we pant for air, hearts pounding in tandem. Draven’s arms encircle me, holding me close as we come down.

“I love you,” he whispers into my hair, his voice hoarse with emotion.

“I love you too,” I manage, my own voice unsteady.

Together, we sit and savor the sensations coursing through our entwined bodies. The king may be against us, but tonight, we are invincible. Tonight, we are us, and that is all that matters.

26

Thorn

Istir slowly, nestled in silken sheets that still hold traces of Draven’s spicy masculine scent. Blinking awake, I find myself curled against his side, his arms wrapped securely around me. Memories from last night wash over me—the romantic dinner we shared, slowly opening our hearts to one another, eventually finding our way here, to his chambers, to share this bed.

Heat blooms in my cheeks even as a smile tugs at my lips. My lonely existence already feels a lifetime away. Being here, held in Draven’s tender embrace, feels profoundly right in a way I’ve never known before.

I trail light fingertips across Draven’s bare chest, tracing the contours of muscle and pale skin. He doesn’t stir, dead to the world in slumber, dark haircharmingly mussed. Contentment glows softly within me. Fate may have drawn us together, but this intimacy exists through choice alone.

After a few more stolen moments admiring my new mate, I slip carefully from beneath the covers. Draven mumbles in protest, reaching for me even in dreams, but I gently disentangle myself. I should dress and ready myself before the day’s demands intrude on this treasured interlude.

I press a feather-soft kiss to Draven’s brow, retrieve a robe, and silently make my way back to my own chamber across the hall. Inside, I find Luna already awake, tail swishing in greeting.

You’re glowing this morning,she remarks knowingly.

I quickly turn away to splash water on my flushed face, hiding my smile. Trust Luna to notice everything, no matter how subtle. A gentle knock on the door has me pulling the robe tighter around me. I open it a crack to find Draven on the other side.

“My bed got cold without you in it.”

---