Page 67 of Our Sins in Shadows (Coven of Sin 2)

“You can ask them, but things might be different for you since you’re mortal. If you’re gonna ask anyone about the mating bond, ask Ster. He was mated to a human once.”

My stomach churned, remembering the story Sterling had told me about his human mate and my father’s hand in destroying that relationship. I leaned into the heat of the youngblood’s bare chest to fend off the chill sweeping through me. “Well, I’m also curious about how they joined our coven. Tell me, please?”

Corry cast me a dubious look, his eyes narrowing like he knew my request went beyond my curiosity for the strange couple I’d met in the hall.

The truth was, I wasn’t ready to go to sleep yet because that primal instinct that had come roaring to life on that stage was still awake. It was pacing madly inside me, unable to rest until she knew her mate was home, safe and sound.

Vincent hadn’t returned yet. And that knowledge sat in the pit of my stomach like a five-ton anchor.

The simple answer was that maybe the fae couldn’t fly faster than a car going seventy on the 6A highway. But I couldn’t seem to make my gut digest that theory.

“Come on, Cor.” I tried to wrap my arms around him to tackle him back into the bed, but he caught my wrists, laughing.

“Jeez. You’re like a little kid trying to avoid bedtime. If I disobey Sterling’s order and let you stay up, it will be to take a shower, not tell you a story.” His nose wrinkled as he bit back a teasing smirk. “Cuz you kinda smell like a dead hooker, babe.”

His expression darkened as his smile faded. “And believe me, I know what that smells like.”

Damn. I’d barely noticed. I guess that was just proof my nose wasn’t even close to the same level as a full-blood vampire. Why hadn’t anyone said anything? Sterling had been sweet as ever and the coven had been all smiles when they’d greeted me. Then again, they were all vampires. Having one of their royals strutting around rank as a corpse was probably more of a norm than their princess having a heartbeat.

“I’ll bathe then.” I sent him a hopeful look. “You can join me and tell me the story in the shower.”

He snorted.“IfI’m showering with you, I got far better ideas on how to entertain you with my mouth. But there will be time for that tomorrow. You can barely stand. What you need is sleep, even if you smell like a corpse orgy. Now stop arguing and lift your arms.” I did as I was told, swallowing any further argument as he tugged Erik’s filthy button-up off my head. He picked up his shirt and took a second to let his gaze rove down my bare torso. I waited for his irises to turn red, but they remained their hot, blazing hue of sky blue.

“What was it like?” he whispered, his voice dropping an octave.

“What was what like?”

His attention lifted from my breasts to meet my eyes. “Being with Vin.”

“Why do you want to know?” I laughed awkwardly, feeling my chest flush pink and my nipples harden at the memory. I shuffled on the bed, trying to brush off the swamp of heat washing over me like a tidal wave of lava. “You have a crush on him or something?”

Corry rolled his eyes. “Yeah, not exactly my type. Just a little too much dick there for my taste. I’m curious because you two have had this contentious love-hate thing going on since night one. Now that you’ve finally mated…” His head canted in the dark, and his next words came out on a growl that crept between my thighs, stroking me like a palpable touch. “I can’t help but wonder what that obsession coming to a head looked like.”

My attention fell to his lips and the memory of him sucking Sterling’s fingers clean of me made my insides stir. “You tasted it in the car. Me and him.”

My heart slammed painfully against my ribs when his eyes finally tinged crimson, a swirling brume of blue and red. He licked his lips as if summoning the memory himself. “Yeah, but that’s not the same as seeing you two together, is it?”

The prospect of Corry watching me with his brother made my lashes flutter. “I think he likes being watched,” I said, recalling the way Vincent seemed to enjoy showing everyone in that audience that I was his.

Corry arched a single brow. “Do you?”

I gave a faint nod. “Yeah.”

His Adam’s apple dipped with a gulp, and his chest rose and fell with quick succession. “Maybe you two can reenact what happened at the BC HQ for me sometime.” He tugged his t-shirt down over my frame, and when my head poked through the hole, he was there, smiling down at me with a wink. “Without all the blood and the headless vampires around, of course.”

A coy grin curved my lips. “But that was the fun part.”

The vampire gave a soft chuckle that tickled my face. “You really are made for this world, Ruby Red.” He arched down to brush his lips to my brow in a light kiss before pulling himself off the bed. “Now go to sleep. You need rest more than anything else right now. I’ll be back in the morning to burn those sheets and scrub you clean myself. That’s a promise.”

As he pulled himself up, I caught his wrist, my heart in my throat.

The young vampire stopped, picking up on the worry in my eyes. He settled back on the bed and cupped my cheeks in his hands. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m worried about Vincent,” I confessed on a sigh, deciding to let him in on the tightening fear that was blossoming in my belly like a noxious flower, making me queasy. “I don’t know how or why, but something deep down in my gut is telling me that maybe he lied to me when he said he was going to fly home.”

Corry’s face took on a serious expression that I hadn’t seen him wear too often. It looked all wrong on his youthful features. “What do you mean?”

“I think he might still be in Boston. But how could I possibly know that? It doesn’t make sense.”

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