Page 43 of Our Sins in Shadows (Coven of Sin 2)

He looked like an ancient god risen from the River Styx, freshly anointed in blood. I let loose another purr, this time releasing the pheromone. It permeated the air, wrapping around me like yet another tantalizing accouterment to match the thin red dress and fang tiara.

The scent was so strong the audience moaned and groaned, and a few even returned my mating call. But they were all white noise.

My attention remained glued to the male slowly prowling in my direction, his movements somewhat jerky and mechanical.

My lips split with a frown. He was like an empty vessel, moving on pure instinct and magic. Maybe it was just the trick of the light, but as he stepped on stage, I was sure I caught a spark flicking to life in his eyes.

“I know you’re in there, baby.” I dropped my voice to the thinnest of whispers. “Draw pain from me to fuel your monster. I can take it. I want to take all you have to give me.”

The little hairs on my nape stood at attention when the only answer I received was a saliva and blood-flecked snarl.

The entire theater seemed to hold its breath as the vampire approached, the space between us disappearing quickly. I could run. It would be easy to launch into a game of cat and mouse. Ever since that one night in the library with Sterling, when he’d shown me the exhilarating pleasure in the mating hunt, I wanted to experience that with Vincent. To have him chase me, like a wolf after a rabbit, even if I wanted him to catch me in the end.

But I wouldn’t give these people the satisfaction of watching me run.

I craned my head to look up at him as his shadow swallowed me.

He was so close now, he could reach out for me, and I wouldn’t have time to get away.

My heart lurched into a frantic pace that had my vampire’s nostrils flaring and his gaze flickering with flame and shadow. It was as if Vincent was hidden somewhere deep inside himself, trying to work his way through a maze of his subconscious.

“Vin, it’s me.”

The glow from the stage lights completely bathed us now, the white light hitting his sharp, chiseled angles, which made him look harsh and cruel.

Intoxicatingly terrifying.

Even though my dark knight stood as still as stone, I knew a war waged inside him. I could see it in his eyes, the way the red of his irises lit up with fire, their flames briefly interrupted by swarms of darkness. Vincent’s power radiated off his body and coiled tight with Dagon’s magic. The potent combination licked at my skin, making me pant.

Vincent’s heavy brows burrowed low as I pushed onto my toes to brush my lips against his. Another growl reverberated from him. It wasn’t a sound of warning. It was inviting and familiar. One meant only for me.

“That’s right, baby, I’m here.”

I leaned into his broad chest, letting him feel the scrape of my hardened nipples through the lace covering them. I slid my fingers over the swell of his pectorals, making streaks in the blood where his raven tattoos appeared through the tracks and stroked his jaw.

“Come out to greet your mate. Your little monster is ready to play.”

I kept my eyes open as I pressed my mouth to his, stroking his bottom lip with my tongue. His lips were slack at first. Then they softened under mine, yielding to my kiss.

He tasted different. Acrid. Like dark magic.

Vincent’s tongue swirled around my mouth, then ran over my fangs to prick his own flesh on them. When the flavor of his blood soaked into my taste buds, a feminine groan dribbled out of me before I could bite it back.

He pressed close to me, digging his pelvis into mine. His cock twitched and hardened, jabbing so hard against my thigh I wouldn’t be surprised if it left a bruise.

“Savage her!” my brother’s voice bellowed over the speakers, shattering the quiet tension that had stretched over the whole theater.

The invisible yank Dagon gave on the reigns of magic bridling Vincent was palpable in the air.

The vampire let out a ragged howl as he shoved me away. I stumbled back, slipping on some of the bloody footprints. “R–run!” Vincent managed to push out. “I’ll hurt you.”

As I fell, my hand shot out to catch myself, and there was a pinch in my wrist. I rubbed the tender ligaments with a wince as I watched the male thrash against his invisible restraints. Rubbing the minor sprain, I watched as Vincent stilled for a moment, his nostrils flaring. His gaze dropped to my wrist, and the rim of his irises began to bleed black.

His eyes had gone pitch black when he’d fed on Eros’ pain in the ring and used that energy to shift into his titan form.

“Do you feel that?Useit.” I hissed beneath my breath. “Lean into his commands. Use the pain you inflict to shift.”

Conflict ragged a subtle war in the shadows on Vin’s face. He didn’t want to hurt me.

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