He pulled back. “Witch?” He cupped her cheek, bemused by the affection making him feel so tender toward her. He’d promised he’d do nothing to harm her, and he meant it. Even if he had to protect her from himself.
“Y-you kissed me,” she said on a breath and seemed so much younger than before.
“You’re beautiful, and you stir me.” He pressed into her, giving her no question as to what he wanted from her. Pushing her hair from her throat, he leaned close to nuzzle her neck and grew dizzy at the alluring scent pulling him closer. He normally never mixed blood with sex, but the two seemed tied with his sea witch. “Woman, you smell so good.”
She put her hands on his shoulders, and he took that as an invitation to lift her for better access, his hands on her ass as he nestled between her legs and nuzzled her neck again.
“Y-you... Oh my God. Did you just lick me?”
“I want a bite, sweet. A small sip of that red perfection under your flesh.”
She shuddered, and he dragged a fang over her pulse point, breaking the fragile skin there.
“No b-biting,” she said, her voice thick.
He could smell her lust and smiled against her neck, deliberately licking up the drop he’d earned.
His entire body locked up, so turned on he feared coming in his pants. “Fuck, woman. Take off your clothes.” He paused. “Please.”
She kissed him back, and he knew he’d never forget this moment no matter how long he lived. The feel of her was everything. No other female had ever affected him so. She’d been made just for him. His other half.
By the Night. He’d met his mate.
“Mate,” he muttered as he pulled back to look into her eyes, her irises no longer dark but a bright blue so light they seemed to glow.
He studied her, taking in the thin face, full lips, and pert nose. Her long, black hair flowed around her shoulders and down her back, waves of sensuality floating around her. Capturing him in a spell only she could sunder.
“Oh wow, I hadn’t noticed at first.” She surprised him by cupping his cheeks and pulling his face closer. “She put a spell on you, vampire.”
“Orion. My name is Orion.”
“Orion.” She sighed. “I’m Kaia.”
He frowned. “Kaia Sabine?”
She just watched him then said, “Let me down, okay?”
He lowered her, as requested. Whatever she wanted, if it was in his power to give, he would.
She rubbed her thumb over his forehead, her eyes narrowing. “Yes, I’m Sabine. Your mistress.” She glanced around, taking in the rich appointments he’d been happy enough to use while waiting for her to return. “Are you expecting anyone else?”
He shrugged, not wanting to let go of her but having to when she walked away from him to stand in the center of the room. “I don’t care who comes as long as you’re here, Sabine.” He smiled, and the expression felt odd, as if he didn’t smile much. He wished he knew why he thought that, but nothing seemed to matter outside of the great beauty he planned to take to mate.
She wiped a hand over her face. “Did I mention I might be bringing someone home with me, Orion? Tell me, sweetie.”
He felt shy under her stare, wondering if he had done enough in his life to merit such a worthy mate. He could smell the sea in her blood, and it tantalized, the rush of desire pulsing through them both.
“I think you said something about a ritual. You were bringing a friend back, the one who lent you that athame for the dickhead your daughter let go.”
She tensed.
“You have me now. You don’t need anyone else. No demons or lycans.” He should have been more upset about his mate sleeping with other creatures, but because she’d wanted it, he’d allowed it. “I’ll give you all the pleasure you ever need. And if you want anyone dead, just say so and I’ll make it happen.”
She looked less than pleased with him.
“What? Sweetheart, I’m happy to help you dispose of anyone or anything. Magir, human, god, demon. Just say the word.”
Kaia wanted to turn and run away and not look back. What her mother had tried to do to her ex, Sean, was monstrous. What she’d done to a vampire didn’t bear repeating. Ever. Sabine might as well have signed her own death warrant a thousand times over. Vampires hated each other, yes, but kill one of their kind and suffer a death that never ended. Eternal torture until the offenders broke in mind, body, and spirit.
What the hell did Sabine think she was doing bespelling one? And doing so while wearing Kaia’s face?
She gave a fake laugh to cover her stress. “This conference has me so frazzled I came back early.”
“Did someone bother you there?” Orion growled, looking larger than he had.
Was he growing?
She forced herself not to gape at him. “Oh no. I just, ah, missed you.”
He smiled, and the pleasure on his face alarmed her more than the menacing look he’d worn before. For some reason, Orion appeared wrong looking so openly joyful.
Gah. What the heck did she know? Her mother was making her batty. “I’m sorry, but which demon gave me the athame? I’m sure he’s the one I invited.”
“Yeah. Pazuzu, some douche of a demon god. Remember? We laughed about him. But you said he was a real friend and you owed him a debt. And you always pay your debts, which is why I like you so much.” His expression flattened after saying that, but he just as quickly smiled.
“I’m so glad about that.” An enamored vampire? What kind of spell had her mother woven?
“Can I help you pay this debt? The sooner we take care of your friend, the sooner you and I can mate.” He looked her over with a carnal grin.
She bit her lip. “Did we already start mating? Um, before?”
“No. You wanted to wait, remember?” He shrugged. “I guess the lycans tired you out. But it’s no problem. If we’re only waiting to bond because of this debt, I have plenty of money to take care of it. That’s what I used to do at home. Investments and trades. It passes the time between battles, although technically the Centaur Slaughter of ’74 happened in both Filoti and Consolidated Edison.” He gave an evil laugh. “It was epic.” He rubbed his chin. “I wonder if Mormo will let me take over the house finances. He treats me like common help, but I’m more than brute force.” He pounded a hand into his palm.
A vampire offering money to a magir, a being outside his clan, a non-vampire? This was beyond bad. If the Bloode Empire found out, they’d kill Sabine and wipe out her entire family—including Kaia.
She asked, not wanting the answer, “Orion, is your first loyalty to me or your clan?”
“You, sweetheart. You know that.” He smiled, showing less fang, but man, he looked scary. “So, anything else you want to know about the Night Bloode?”
“Your clan?” she squeaked, knowing that in his right mind, this male kill anyone for daring to steal secrets he’d never willingly give. “Isn’t that private information?”
“For anyone but you, yes. I’ve killed fae for even asking about my patriarch in Thira—that’s my home in Greece. My old home, I mean. The Night Bloode’s been pretty private since our creation not too long ago. Although Mormo hasn’t out and out said I can’t tell anyone anything about us. I haven’t because no one’s ever had the stones to ask. Until you, sweetness.”