Page 35 of Bloody Kingdom

If Rowena starts spreading the news that I may or may not have a soft spot for the human, it will only be a matter of time before someone comes for Quincey in hopes of using her against me.

She doesn’t wait for me to come around and open her car door for her once we’re back at the estate. Duke barely has time to put the car into park before she’s climbing out and walking briskly to the front door. Quincey also doesn’t bother waiting for me or even looking back to see if I’m following before she disappears into the house.

From the front seat, Duke chuckles softly as he watches her go. “Are we leaving now, or are you going to go deal with that first?” I don’t appreciate the knowing look he passes me in the mirror.

He didn’t have to ask, Duke already knows my answer. “I’ll be right back.”

“That’s what I thought.”

I shouldn’t be going after her, but I can’t stop myself. Everything about her has me behaving in ways I haven’t in a long time. Then again, no one has captured my attention like she has in a long time.

It’s no surprise to me that I track her sweet scent to the kitchen. She sits on the counter, feet swinging back and forth with a cup of lemonade already in hand. She doesn’t look up from her swaying legs when I enter, so I take the opportunity to move in front of her before she has the chance to protest.

Patiently, a skill that doesn’t come easily for me, I wait for her to say something.

“Tonight didn’t start well or end well, but the middle part?” Finally, her chin tilts up so I can see her pretty face. “The middle part I enjoyed. I would say I wouldn’t mind doing that again sometime, but I have this sneaking suspicion that tonight was a one-time thing.”

She waits for confirmation and when I give her a slow nod, her lips pull into a sad smile. Taking one last drink from her glass, Quincey jumps gracefully off the counter. Pausing in front of me, she asks softly, “Is it because of her?”

“Partially,” I tell her honestly.

Quincey’s face pinches, but she’s quick to conceal whatever emotion she’s feeling. “Figured as much,” she whispers. “Regardless, thank you for tonight. Ira is going to love his roses, I’m sure of it.” In a move that shocks me to my core and has my body turning to stone, Quincey leans up on her tippy-toes and places a chaste kiss on my jaw. My body is now a stranger to that kind of tender affection, but the simple touch awakens something in me. “Good night, Silas.”

I’m stuck in place as she pulls away from me. The voice of reason that screams at me to let her go is drowned out. I can hardly hear it over the intense need to pull her back to me.

My body moves before my head can catch up. She doesn’t get farther than three feet away from me before I’m dragging her to me once more.

“Silas—” My name is cut off by my lips colliding with hers.

It’s hard to remember when something is a bad idea when it feels and tastes like her.

She’s stiff, unyielding at first, as the shock of what I’ve just done consumes her, but it lasts only a second before, with a moan, she’s melting into me.

Giving in to me.

My mouth owns hers, taking and claiming without permission or care. And by doing so, I’m breaking every single one of my rules, but in this moment, I can’t find a fuck to give. Humans are off-limits,Quinceyis off-limits, but I can’t stop myself once I taste her on my tongue. Sweeter than sin, but somehow more tempting than a sin itself.

I haven’t kissed anyone in centuries, the act itself always felt more intimate than sex, but with Quincey, it feels like something we’ve been doing for years. A well-orchestrated dance we could perform blindfolded. A dance we could go decades without practicing, but still would be perfect.

Her hands, slowly, almost timidly smooth over my chest, leaving a trail of heat behind them. A heat that is foreign to my cold body and soul, but as it spreads through my body, I revel in it.

My blunt teeth capture her bottom lip and pull it with a sharp nip. Her tongue swipes out to soothe the sting and I seize the moment to lick inside her hot mouth. A mouth so compliant and yielding to me now, her sharp tongue for the moment obedient to me.

If she’s this submissive with just a kiss, I wonder how she’ll behave with my mouth on her pussy. Wicked thoughts of Quincey eagerly doing everything I ask fills my head.

Oh, the things I could do to that body. I would make her call my name as she came, just as she did that night. This time it wouldn’t be the thought of me bringing her to orgasm, it would be the real me, licking, biting,takinguntil she screamed.

With a growl, my hands snake down to her ass. Squeezing roughly, I lift her up and drop her onto the marble countertop behind us. Her thighs part to allow me to stand between them. My hardening cock presses into her jean-clad core, but despite the clothes between us, I can feel the heat radiating off of her. My cock aches to delve into that heat.

Quincey must be thinking the same thing because her hips roll, grinding herself softly against me. The warning rumble that builds in the back of my throat only makes her smile. She has no idea who she’s playing with right now. One wrong move, one wrong flick of my wrist, I could fucking kill her. Even now, my gums burn and ache, my fangs threatening to descend at any second.

My hand tangles around her long hair. Yanking the strands harshly, I angle her head exactly how I want it. The hissing sound of approval that comes from her appeases the dominant monster lurking inside of me. He likes knowing she can take a little pain, that she approves of being manhandled like this.

And so do I.

I kiss her harder, taking everything I can from her and at the same time, leaving my brand on her. I want to sear this moment into her memory. Every time she looks at her lips, I want her to think about how I took her mouth. When she kisses another, I want her to compare it to how I kissed her. I want to ruin any other man for her.

I want to ruin her—corrupting her soul until it matches mine.

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