“Where’s Viktor?” she asked, panic in her voice.
“They’ve taken him to the master bedroom. You’ll have to feed him and then get him into the shower. I don’t know the strength of the powder, but it was enough to knock them out. I’ll meet you in a couple of hours up front. I want to make sure Greyson feeds all right.”
Waverly fought tears as they made their way down a small hallway, deeper into the plane. As they approached the doorway, her stomach dropped at the sight of Viktor lying unconscious on the bed. A young flight attendant knelt before him and extended her arm.
“No! Get away from him. He’s mine,” Waverly yelled. Jealousy flared, but she was far beyond taming it, and cordial words eluded her. “Get out.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Let me know if you need anything.” The woman scurried out of the room.
“Feed him. He’ll be okay,” Rafe commented as he closed the door.
“Thank you,” she managed, tears in her eyes.
Waverly curled against Viktor’s body, hot tears streaming down her face. Guilt threaded through her, knowing Adam had done this to him.
She pressed her wrist to his mouth and whispered in his ear. “Please. Viktor. Can you hear me? It’s going to be okay. But you’ve gotta feed. The silver…it’s done something to you. Please just—”
Waverly yelped as his eyes flew open and he grasped her wrist. Feral, his teeth sliced into her flesh. Helpless to move, waves of pain and pleasure threading through her body, she prayed she’d survive.
10
Blood flowed down his throat, Waverly’s essence healing him, liberating him from the poison. Her soul engulfed him, yet the monster inside struggled to restrain itself. Control the beast.
“Viktor,” he heard her call.
Let her go. He fought the craving as guilt stabbed through him.
“Viktor? Can you hear me? Please be okay.”
He fought his unsated thirst. As the fog dissipated, he called for her. Waverly.
“Yes, baby. I hear you.”
The warmth of her skin surrounded him, waking him, calling him back from his feral nature. His teeth retracted, releasing her.
“Ah,” she cried as he flipped her onto her back and his lips brushed over hers.
“Dr. LaFleur,” he whispered, his erection pressed between her legs.
“Thank God you’re okay.” She brought her hands to his cheeks, her eyes widened in relief.
“I’m forever in your service.” Viktor’s body raged with desire for the incredible woman underneath him. He stole a brief kiss, resisting the urge to tear off her panties and fuck her senseless.
“We’re even then,” she panted, her chest heaving for breath. “We should, um, we need to get this stuff off you. I need to clean both of us off.”
“Shower,” he suggested.
“There’s a shower on here?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“Let’s get you in the shower then. This stuff is poisonous.”
“Have I died and gone to heaven?”
“I, uh,” her lips grazed his, “I’m already wet.”
“You’re killin’ me,” Viktor laughed.
“No dying on my watch. I’m serious.” Waverly pressed her palms to his chest, pushing at him. “You need to get this stuff off you.”
Viktor rolled onto his back and watched her hop off the bed. Fresh anger twisted through him, as he recalled the attack at the storage facility, her attempted kidnapping. “Nasty little security system. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“I’m fine,” she called out from the bathroom.
“How did you get away from him?”
“I lift weights.” A splash of water sounded as she turned on the spigot. “We can talk about it later. Let’s get you clean.”
“I’m sorry. I should have known it was a trap.” Viktor seethed with anger. He’d known long ago that industries had planned to install AgSX. The colloidal silver compound had become a menace, weaponized to ‘manage’ vampires in recent years.
“There’s no way we could have known he’d do that. But I need to tell you,” She poked her head out of the bathroom, continuing to talk, “I don’t know the extent of it, but I think he sent me the fleam. He knew too much about the painting. I think there might be others. Someone is working with him. I heard a woman’s voice. But at least we have the handle—"
“We have what he intended us to have.” Viktor shucked off his boxers and stood.
“Water’s ready. We’ve got to get you clean. Are you coming?” Waverly appeared like an angel in the doorway, concealing her nudity with a towel. She turned on her heels and dropped it behind her.
“I most certainly will be.” Though moments earlier he’d been injured, the surge of Waverly’s blood and the sight of his sexy woman turned his cock as hard as concrete.
As he entered the bathroom, Waverly stood in the shower, leaning backwards into the stream. She smoothed her hands over her hair, water dripping from her body.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. I should have been there,” he told her as he stepped inside the shower.
“You were poisoned. Besides, you’re here now.” She shot him a sexy smile, beads of dewy moisture on her face and eyelashes, her body glistening under the soft lighting.
Viktor wrapped his hands around her waist and tugged her to him, the hot spray stinging his skin. Her pert nipples brushed up against his chest, his cock grazing between her thighs. He brought a hand around the back of her neck and tilted her head, inspecting the faint marks on her skin. “You’re mine now.”
“I am,” she admitted in a whisper.
He leaned in to kiss her, brushing his tongue against hers. A soft, demanding kiss, tasting the only woman he’d ever craved.
Take her, lust told him, but Viktor would savor her like a fine wine. His chest tightened, an inexplicable feeling that he couldn’t describe. Soon they’d be bonded, forever together.
For over a thousand years, there had been no one. Love. Baxter had taught him he wasn’t worth someone’s love. He had been starved of emotion. For many years after Baxter died, Viktor wondered if his sire had been right. But in the last few days, his life had changed.
He tore his lips from hers and leaned his forehead against hers. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Yes, yes you do. Don’t ever think you don’t,” she told him, conviction in her words.
Viktor smiled and briefly closed his eyes, his heart full. He couldn’t say the unfamiliar word that danced on the tip of his tongue. Love.
Avoiding the uncomfortable emotion, he reached for the bottle of shampoo and squeezed it into his hand. “Turn around.”
“Are you sure we should do this in the plane? What if there’s turbulence?”
“I’ll flash us back home. Now turn around or you will most definitely get that spanking,” he warned.
Waverly did as she was told, taking care to brush her bottom over his cock. Viktor smiled, working the lather into her hair, and brushing the soap down over her skin. He pressed his cock through her slick legs, running his soapy hands up over her breasts.