Page 153 of The Vampire's Thirst
“No. I do not care to share my strategy.”
The cruel slash that was Lort’s mouth twitched. “I have a human male waiting in my bed. I need to replenish myself with drink and cock.”
The sadistic bastard kept a human for pleasure and food, his own sex-slave-slash-dinner. He had probably used up several donors by this time.
“I have a bottle of whiskey to empty, a female to fill, and a straggling unit to train harder. All good plans,” said Roark.
Cerberus flipped the hem of his cloak through the dirt.
More drama.
Roark was waiting for the guy to dance around the garrison to a zippy musical number likeFame.The shifter was a little disappointed when it didn’t happen.
Minister Boden was about to crack, though, words stuttering across his lips. “I’ll see to the progress on getting more out of our portal jumpers. My hopes, however, are not high.”
More sweat on the director’s forehead. Couldn’t the guy grow bigger balls? After all, he was the right hand of evil. Maybe villains weren’t as tough as Roark expected.
****
WithSkyler tucked against one side and Kae wiggling in his arm, Kole entered the gym. He paused to take in the room, revamped for the glammed-up event, part remembrance of those fallen, part celebration for those who lived. “Unbelievable.”
With a possessive hand on his mate’s bare back, he guided them through the crowd.
Skyler’s frosty lilac eyes brightened at the scene. “Arne is a miracle worker. I hope we can keep him when all this blows over. The man recruited other refugees to help with the menu. Fin provided advice about food prep for a large group. And here’s a surprise. Nico is an expert with meatballs. I guess he made hundreds for this event.”
Kae, wiggling harder, babbled undecipherable words.
“I’ll let you down in a minute, baby. You’ll get stomped on. Wait until we’re at our table.” When the toddler held out her arms for her mother, Kole passed her off.
“Nice job with the decor, Frisca.” Though he couldn’t see the point of putting fancy cloths, flowers, and other shit on the tables when everyone was here to eat and talk, he’d never say that to Skyler. Besides, she could outfit the gym in pink flamingos and unicorns for all he cared, as long as she wore a curve-hugging white dress which swept the floor and revealed the sexy-as-hell expanse of skin from her shoulders to just above her ass. Males openly stared, but he had promised to be on his best behavior. He assumed his promise included not setting any of his mate’s admirers on fire.
With Skyler in front of him, Kole continued to appreciate the wintery dress as her hips swayed side to side. Still, he preferred her without it, clothed only in her own pale, glowing flesh, surrounded by thick icy blonde hair spread out across a pillow.
Somehow, his mate read his thoughts. Then she double-tasked it. While taking the thumb out of Kae’s mouth, she managed to admonish both demon and child with one squint-eyed scolding glare.
Skyler tempered the warning with a sexy grin tugging at her cherry-red lips.Oh, yeah.She had read his mind.
How long was this shindig supposed to last?
Kole, his fingers tugging on the stiff collar of his dress uniform, nodded at Firebrands and visitors as he followed his females toward the head table.
Skyler gave Kae back to her father. “I see the Alliance. I’m going to shake some hands.”
When she pulled her mate’s head down for a breath-stealing kiss, Kole got in a little tongue action before she walked away fanning her scarlet cheeks.
Somebody tugged on Kole’s pant leg. He looked down and down until he saw Nerina’s grandson. The Firebrand commander bent onto one knee, eye to eye with the five-year-old, his daughter in one arm. “What do you want, lad?”
“Whass her name?”
“Kae.”
“Can Kae play?”
Kole searched for Nerina. When he found her, she was looking his way, pointing to the back of the room where young refugee children were chasing each other while older kids chatted in small groups. In a nearby corner, toddlers played on the floor.
He took a deep breath. With hundreds of people crowded into the gym, his protective demon nature screamedhell no, finding a million reasons why he should hold tight to his daughter. But he would never cripple her.
“Can I trust you, lad? She’s awful little.” An eager Kae squirmed, her legs kicking into his gut as she reached across his chest toward the boy.
