Page 28 of To Love a Vampire
“Hey, don’t do that,” he says playfully, still displaying the world’s most annoyingly beautiful smile. He pulls me back to him and lowers his body closer to mine, his bare shoulder brushing against mine. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just,” He pauses and looks away from me for a moment. He’s considering his next words carefully. “There are a hundred reasons why I’m not jealous of the commander.” He bites his lip to try to keep from smiling again. “But him placing that sexy hitch in your breath that I give you every night, isn’t even a possibility.”
My breath falters and I gasp when he lowers his strong body against me. Silver, questioning eyes search mine. His face is once again serious, all shadowed angles emphasized in white moonlight. His weight pushes against me deliciously and nothing has ever made me feel so… complete. His legs settle between mine and a feeling begins tingling through my stomach as my thighs clench tightly around his hips.
My hands drift up his body to his hard chest, the need to be closer soaring under my skin. He leans against one arm near my head as the other trails up my body from my hip, lightly traveling over my stomach, my ribs, my chest and collar bone, before cradling my neck. Clear eyes question mine, a look of uncertainty fill the depths of his gaze. He leans into me, our hair brushing. My heart pounds into his chest, communicating to him without words. The only sign language he ever taught me.
“So no, I’m not jealous of Kaino, because,” he lowers his lips to mine, not quite touching, our warm breath mingling, “no one will ever take away what’s mine again.”
His lips brush mine, warm and slow. Then the world stops around us. Falling into nothingness. It’s a gentle kiss. My heart flutters in my chest, softly against his hard body. My fingers release his shoulders and push into his thick hair, pulling him nearer as his lips part mine. His tongue slips against mine until we can no longer keep our patient pace.
He kisses me like he’s giving me his soul to keep. All this time, I’ve searched for the hybrid that was missing. I didn’t realize until now that I, too, was missing. I feel alive with his hands on me, my flesh tingling, a relentless feeling coming to life within me.
A feather light touch moves down my neck, his fingertips trailing along my hot skin before pulling my hip firmly into him. I moan into his mouth at the friction. My back bows of its own accord, trying to eliminate any lingering space between myself and him. His lips leave mine, kissing down my jaw and nipping at my neck. My chest heaves with each breath and the electric current tugs at my core until I can’t take it anymore. I grind my hips into his for relief. A low groan escapes his lips into the hook of my neck, the vibrations humming through my chest.
A long and uneven breath leaves me just before his mouth pushes hard against mine again. His teeth rake across my bottom lip in both pain and pleasure before his tongue slips into my mouth and slides against mine. A sweet but salty taste fills my senses.
The feeling of his lips against mine and his hard body grinding into me is stirring a feeling that’s restless in my core. It’s demanding and threatens to take over entirely. My body works against his to achieve what seems to be the same goal. His hand roams farther across my hip pulling me impossibly closer to him, drifting lower and lower until he stops suddenly, his fingers lingering at the underside of my thigh.
The air leaves my lungs in a heap as he pulls away, my fingers still clutching his neck to me. His chest heaves into mine with each breath he takes.Why is he stopping?His heavy gaze never leaves mine. His hair sticks up wildly from where I pulled at it earlier. He licks his lips slowly. I’m reminded of what he tastes like and my body thrums to close the distance again.
“I’m… sorry,” he says with a groan. “But I think I should go, before your prince and his, uh,” he looks out into the forest, breaking our stare for the first time, “friend finds us.”
He’s smirking again but I don’t know why.My prince and his friend? I lean up into his chest, my hands drifting down to his smooth shoulders, refusing to let him go. My heart flutters at our nearness again. My eyes search in the darkness to see what he sees. It takes me a moment to actually focus on something other than his body against mine. Once my eyes adjust it takes no time at all.
There, against a tree, maybe ten yards away is Kaino and Shane. They’re holding each other closely—their bodies difficult to make out in the dark.
“Oh.”
Not too difficult… Kaino has the warrior pushed against the tree and they’re clutching each other, the commander’s lips slipping down the warrior’s neck in a worshiping way.Kissing. Kaino is kissing him. He’skissinganother guy. I guess our friendship makes sense now. Kaino doesn’t dislike me, he just is the furthest thing from interested.
Asher presses his head into my shoulder and laughs at my surprise.
“You knew Kaino was seeing Shane?” I ask, trying to tear my gaze away from the couple making out in the woods, a shadow of groping hands and tongues.
Asher runs his fingers lightly up my spine, lifting his head, his shining eyes search my face. His touch sends a shiver over my body, pulling my attention back to him.
He’s smirking down at me, kneeling between my legs. His other hand pushes my messy mass of curls behind my ear and he has the strangest look in his steely gaze.
“I’ve made it a point to know things about the mystics here. They’re good. Mostly. Kaino is good.” His fingers trail my face until his palm settles against my neck. “I’m never going to let anything happen to you again, Fallon.” His whisper is slow and promising as he pulls me into his body. His strong arms wrap around me in a hug, the epitome of safety. My eyes close as I listen to the steady beat of his heart.
“Good night,” he says in a quiet breath before pressing his lips to my temple and unwrapping himself from me. I watch as he climbs down from my pallet in silence.
It’s cold without him near. My lips and body tingle, a shadowing memory of him hums through my veins. After a few minutes, leaves crack under foot below my pallet and I throw myself down as if I’ve been asleep for hours—instead of where I always want to be.
Fourteen
Why Did I Say That
My training has ceasedsince Asher’s arrival. Declan doesn’t mention it, but I make a point of shadowing him as I had before. Hoping to keep my place as understudy, hoping to keep our friendship…
It’s late, and I want nothing more than to go to bed, but as an understudy, I have to attend the days meeting before retiring to my bed, where I will surely toss and turn for another night.
Luca and I enter the tent, we’re nearly the first to arrive… almost.
A werewolf steps closer to Gabriel, eliminating any space between them. His face is a mass of smooth angry features.
“This isn’t your place, pike,” the wolf slurs into Gabriel’s passive face, pushing his forearm into the hybrids throat, pinning him to a beam supporting the tent.
Asher takes a step toward the two of them, but Gabriel holds his hands up dismissively, his new bionic wrist twisting in the candle light. A smug smirk etches the hybrid’s features, the hundreds of freckles across his cheekbones standing out even in the dim lighting.
