Page 372 of Halfblood Deceived

She laughed. “Probably.”

Kamilla hummed and merged their mouths together again. Her sharp nails left tingly trails on Diana’s skin as she slid one hand across Diana’s side, and then under her jeans and underwear. Diana inhaled sharply as those sharp nails sank into her ass. Her hands automatically squeezed Kamilla’s breasts. The vampiress all but purred, opening her legs wider and sucking Diana’s tongue.

The need for friction increased for them both. Kamilla clamped her legs tighter, drawing Diana closer, back arching. Diana slid her hand up Kamilla’s calf, hooking it under her knee to ease Kamilla’s hold. The vampiress made a soft sound of protest against Diana’s lips. In a swift movement, Diana slid one thigh between Kamilla’s. A low, rumbly moan vibrated in Kamilla’s throat. Her hips rolled, and she hitched her knee carefully higher, giving Diana the same glorious pressure. They clung to each other, hips rocking, panting, biting. The delicious friction wasn’t enough through the layers of their clothes, but that was precisely what made it perfect.

Goddess, I could kiss her forever; Diana drunkenly thought. Forever. That thought sparked questions she couldn’t help but ask. “Kamilla?”

Kamilla kissed the corner of Diana’s mouth, then her jaw, and made a path to her neck. “Hmm?”

“I…” Diana swallowed hard, trying to think. A monumental task, with Kamilla’s breasts in her hands and Kamilla’s fangs brushing her pulse point. “What are we doing?”

“Kissing,” she responded, undaunted. “And if I get my way, fucking on my desk.”

Fucking on my desk. The words echoed in Diana’s head. She swallowed a whimper. Oh, goddess.

“We can’t,” Diana managed. She placed her hands on the desk again. “We… shouldn’t.”

“Why not?” Kamilla asked, closing her teeth over Diana’s pulse point.

Yeah, why not? Diana thought. But she gave herself a firm mental shake. “Because we can’t.” It felt like a sacrilege, but she pulled back, and fuck, it was a sacrilege. Kamilla’s lipstick was ruined, her pupils cat-like, and her scent sweet with lust. Diana wanted nothing but to drop to her knees and put Kamilla’s legs over her shoulders—No.

“Because it’s forbidden,” Diana said.

Kamilla shrugged. “Aella and Zeydan don’t seem to give a fuck about that—”

“Zeydan is not the crown prince of all vampires!” Diana almost yelled. She stepped away from Kamilla, even though her whole body ached in protest. “You can’t do this. We can’t do this.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time I broke the rules,” Kamilla said nonchalantly.

Diana gulped. No, no, no. Goddess, she was serious, calm, and determined. And they’d go after her—the fucking vampire council, every fucking royal she had pissed off, and that list was a mile long. They would hurt her, or take away her title, making her vulnerable, and Diana couldn’t allow it.

“You are not thinking clearly,” she pleaded.

Kamilla straightened and crossed her legs again, brow arched. “Yes, I am.”

Diana shook her head. “You can’t be.”

Kamilla tapped her nails against the desk, expression calm and inquisitive. “Give me a good reason why we shouldn’t do what we’ve both wanted for years, Diana. One that has nothing to do with the royal council or what anyone might say.”

Diana almost screamed that being persecuted by the oldest, most powerful vampires was quite a good enough reason.

But Kamilla continued. “Not to mention that the normalization of relationships considered taboo and forbidden is not achieved by hiding. Someone has to be brave enough to publicly be with whomever they want.”

“So this,” Diana pointed at the horribly empty space between them, “is just your way of making a statement?”

Kamilla went preternaturally still. “You don’t truly believe that. You know me better than that.”

She was right, of course. Diana did know her better. But she had no means to stop Kamilla aside from pretending she was stupid and shallow.

“Do I?” Diana sniped, eyes stinging. She blinked hard. “I’ve seen you do a lot of risky things to make a statement, Kamilla. Besides, I…” I can’t do it. I have to do it. Oh, goddess. “I am attracted to you, and I love you as a friend, but that’s it. I’m not in love with you.” Oh, fuck. Oh, gods. I can’t breathe. “So there’s no reason to risk the rage of… everyone.”

Kamilla blinked and turned to look at the panoramic window. Her delicate throat bobbed.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Diana swallowed against the ball of pain, regret, and self-loathe growing in her chest. It weighed a thousand tons. It was crushing her.

“I…” I’m sorry; she wanted to say. It’s not true. I love you. I’m sorry.

“I understand,” Kamilla said, turning to give her an emotionless look. “Forgive me for misinterpreting.”

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