Page 20 of Our Sins in Blood (Coven of Sin 1)

Fuck, what have I done? I didn’t mean to start this battle of male dominance shit in the pharmacy bathroom. All I wanted was red hair.

Finally, Corry dropped his hold over me and reluctantly stepped away.

“Go wait in the car,” Vincent commanded.

The younger vampire glanced my way, clearly not wanting to leave me alone with his brother.

“It’s okay.” I gave him a reassuring smile that was shakier than I would have liked. “We’ll be out in just a second.”

Corry stormed out, leaving me alone with his big angry asshole of a brother.

“Wow, you really have some anger issues, you know that? You can’t just come in here flexing your muscles, throwing around your orders like I give a shit about what you—”

I didn’t finish my sentence because before I realized what was happening, Vincent had closed the distance between us, and his mouth was on mine in a bruising kiss. I had never been kissed before, and like most little girls, I used to dream about my first. Of course, I wasn’t so naive to think that my first kiss would be anything like I had imagined. But I hadn’t imagined this. Because I deserved better than a brutal demonstration of dominance delivered by an infuriating dickhead in a Walgreen’s restroom.

What I hated most about the whole thing?

I fucking liked it. With the Feral King’s lips on mine, something exotic and powerful and carnal within me roared to life. Every nerve ending was set on fire, and I wanted nothing more than to burn to ash and be born anew.

He kissed me until my lungs were screaming for breath, pushing me away with a rough shove only after I’d beat on his chest, battling against him so I could fucking breathe.

Gasping, my back slammed into the concrete wall, and I doubled over with my hands braced on my knees.

“What the fuck, Feral?” I peered up at him through my stringy, still-wet crimson tresses.

He was smirking down at me with his head cocked to one side, licking his grinning lips. His eyes had turned reddish-black like Corry’s had when he’d come close to biting me. And that’s when I saw the smear of blood on his lips.

I had bit myself when Corry had been in here, spilling a few drops of my blood.

Feral had kissed me for the taste of it.

I straightened, glaring at him. “You’re a fucking monster, you know that?”

“Yeah. I do know that. And where we’re going, you’ll find a lot more monsters just like me. So do yourself a favor, Princess. Keep your fluids to yourself while we’re there. Especially your blood.”

He licked his lips clean, and he uttered a gravelly purr like it was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted. “Take it from someone who knows. Wars are waged over blood like yours. And vampires like Corry don’t end up winning fights with monsters like me.”

“What are you saying? That you would fight others for my blood?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. There isn’t a male or female, for that matter, who wouldn’t tear open your pretty lips to see what spills out. And I’m not just talking about the set on your face, Princess. So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll come with me to the coven, stand before the Elders and tell them you have no wish to be our queen, and then you’ll leave.”

My cheeks flamed. “And if I don’t?”

“If you don’t, there will be males vying for your submission so that they might rise as the vampire king. You’re a sweet prize, Ruby Renada Baxter. Know why?”

All I could do was shake my head stupidly.

“Because you have the strength of a vampire, the blood of a human, and you have the reproductive capabilities of a mortal. By taking you as their mate, a male will not only become the vampire king, but he’ll have a steady supply of blood as sweet as ambrosia. And by breeding you, he could have biological sons. That’s something that can usually only be achieved by bedding a female human, and most don’t live through the pregnancy.”

“I don’t get it. If I’m such a great catch, why do you want me to go in front of your Elders to tell them I don’t want to be queen?”

“Because Iwillbe king of the vampires. I endured too much of your father’s torture to take anything less. I have done my fucking time. It’s my turn to rule our kind into a new era. By vampire law, I should be king, but it was your father’s dying wish that you be queen. It’s a wish the Elders will respect. So if you accept the position, know this, Ruby. I will be king one way or another, and if I have to claim you as my own for that right…” He stepped toward me, bringing his face so close our noses nearly touched. “I will.”

Chapter twelve

Death Drives a Rolls-Royce

“You’regoingtostayaway from her, you got that?” Vincent snarled at Corry the second we were back in the car.

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