Page 71 of Deadly Alliances

Gentle fingers pressed up the tight muscles along my spine, and it just felt so good. I hung my head and closed my eyes to bask in the pleasure.

“Ssssee, isn’t that nicccce?” Peters asked behind me, and I hadn’t realized before how melodious his voice was, how pleasant it was to listen to. I could listen to it forever.

“Mmm-hmm,” I hummed in contentment, my eyelids fluttering from his touch. “It’s nice.”

“You know, I bet if you shifted, I could work out even more of those kinkssss,” he murmured. “Ever had your wings massaged?”

No, I hadn’t, and that sounded delightful.

Slap!“What the hell is the matter with you!” Sakura snapped.

The haze that had clouded my thoughts and senses disappeared just as suddenly as it had come on, and I shook my head in confusion. I looked around to make some sense of what had happened.

Private Peters was lying on the ground, his gray naga tail extending from the base of his spine through his uniform and a bright red handprint on his left cheek. Sakura was standing over him, her face a mask of furious disapproval.

My eyes widened in horror as the realization of what just happened dawned on me, a grimace tugging on my facial muscles.

“Get up and go gather some more firewood,” Sakura ordered as Peters pushed against the ground with his palms.

Peters got to his feet and brushed himself off as he trudged to the edge of our camp with his tail literally between his legs.

“And put your fucking tail away!” Sakura shouted with her fists clenched at her sides.

“No means no, dude,” Private Hennessee called after him just before he passed through the soundproof barrier.

“What the actual fuck?!” I breathed, my eyes darting between the three soldiers who lookedalmostas disgusted as I felt.

Sakura folded her arms and angrily plopped down beside Hennessee. “Fucking pervert. I’m so tired of his shit.”

Hennessee put an arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm. “Apparently, he gets off on shifters. Gives a whole new meaning to the word ‘beastiality.’”

My grimace deepened, a shiver wracking my shoulders and back. “Why is he even still in the military?”

Hennessee and Sakura shared a look, but it was Gibson who answered. “He’s one of the most skilled nagas in the corp. He’s too good to let go, and too depraved not to keep. His…proclivityis the only reason he’s still just a private.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course, Dracul would want to keep him for his skill. When has anyone’s character or behavior ever mattered to him? But, on the other hand, it was probably far better he remained in the military’s hands rather than on the streets.

“Aaagh!” The high-pitched screech sliced through the seemingly peaceful night, echoing through the dark woods around us.

“What the hell was that?” Hennessee muttered as all of our heads jerked in the direction of the source.

I tapped into my gryphon, my eyesight honing and scanning the darkness past our camp. A shadow darted through the trees a hundred feet away, and not even my keen raptor vision could distinguish the blur.

“Vampires,” I breathed.

Another scream bounced off the canopy.

“They must’ve found Peters,” I said, bolting off the log.

“What’s going on?” Kai poked his head out of the tent.

“Peters went out for firewood. I think vampires found him,” I explained, watching the woods closely for any signs of him.

Kai rushed out of the tent. “We have to help him.”

I nodded, looking to the three soldiers for confirmation. All three pairs of eyes cast their gazes in a different direction, none of them making a move to that effect.

“What are you guys doing? You’re just going to let him get killed?” Kai’s surprised outrage was making his facial expressions very animated.

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