Page 9 of The Vampire's Hunter

She whimpered a little, arching against him like she wanted—no,needed—more. Heat slickened between her legs. Good Lord, she wanted him. She always had, she supposed. She’d known that when she’d come here, that she’d never truly managed to get over him.

But what in God’s name was he playing at?

“You mean to tell me she’s yours?” Zane said, fleetingly drawing both her and Corbin’s attention toward him once more.

Like Corbin, Zane was long and lean, the planes of his clothes belied with a subtle, yet impressive form, though Dani knew firsthand a vampire’s true strength didn’t lie in their muscles. She’d learned that the hard way with Cillian, then Lucien. A vampire’s looks could be deceiving, and while Zane was the kind of vampire who perhaps would have impressed her before, she wasn’t that person anymore. Not after all she’d been through, and certainly not now that she’d started to understand why she’d always ended up in the arms of the wrong man.

Because the only vampire she’d evertrulywanted had never wanted her in return.

The same vampire whose lips were currently trailing their way over her throat, like he couldn’t just smell her desire, he could taste it on her skin. This situation between them was supposed to be fake, except…

Was it possible to orgasm from a vampire’s kiss alone?

Because Corbin hadn’t even bitten her, and already she felt close.

“Don’t be a fool, Zane. Of course, she’s mine,” Corbin’s grip on her neck loosened, turning into a caress. “Unequivocally.” He spoke right into her ear, his words both familiar and foreign.

Good Lord, she didn’t care if it made her basic, his accent had always thrilled her.

“Apologies, Corbin,” Zane said, immediately casting his eyes low.

If there’d been any doubt about who was in charge here, Corbin crushed it with a single look. Dani didn’t need to see the expression on his face to know it’d turned instantly cold. She’d seen that same violence in his eyes, aimed at his enemies, more than once before.

“That’ll be all, Zane,” Corbin hissed, though his unspoken message was clear.

Touch what’s mine, and I’ll end you.

A harsh shiver rippled down her spine.

Abruptly, the hand at her throat disappeared, Corbin rotating her to face him and lifting her barely an inch off the floor, just enough to whisk her to the other side of the club with a supernatural speed that stole her breath away. He hadn’t given Zane so much as a chance to protest or retaliate. Not that she’d ever expected the other vampire to do so.

Among theCosa della nottefucking with Corbin would have been akin to Zane signing his own death warrant. There were worse crimes, of course, but she didn’t want to consider those.

Dani blinked, dazed from how fast they’d moved.

“What are you doing?” she breathed, finally looking up at Corbin, from where he still held her close. Intimately close. As if she did, in fact, belong to him.

“You heard me, Dani. Be a good girl and play along.”

They were tucked into a darkened alcove now, pleasantly alone, though the club’s patrons were still very much in view. Anyone who wanted to see them could, and she had more than a passing feeling that was what Corbin had chosen it for.

Without warning, Corbin gently pushed her against the wall, pressing her flush against him. This time, they were face-to-face, their mouths unsettlingly close, which meant he could not only hear and feel her, but he could see, could taste every reaction, every breath she took. His hand fell to her throat again, one thumb tracing the beat of her pulse almost reverently. His other made quick work of hooking one of her legs over his hip, before suddenly that same hand dipped beneath her skirt.

Like he planned to touch her, finger her, right there beside the dance floor.

For all his club to see.

Dani’s breath caught, her voice going hoarse.

“Corbin, you can’t just—” Her eyes darted around the club, to all the patrons that could be watching them.

“WhatIdo inmyclub is my business.” That dark endless gaze seared through her. “Now, do you want to sell this as real or not, love?”

Real or…

Dani’s head struggled to catch up with her body, considering she’d all but stopped thinking the moment he’d first pulled her close. Her eyes traced over Corbin’s handsome face. The sharp cheekbones. The sculpted jaw. The chiseled brow and regal nose.

He was harshly beautiful in a way even few vampires were—and that was saying something, considering as an undead species, they were pretty much all freaking beautiful—but Corbin took the word angelic and put it to shame. Especially whenever he flashed that white-toothed roguish grin of his. Ever the charmer. The Devilhadbeen an angel once, she supposed…

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