Page 390 of Hunters and Prey

“He knew I wouldn’t do that.”

“How? How could he have known? He didn’t know a damned thing because he wasn’t thinking with his brain, he was thinking with his cock.” He exhaled sharply. “It doesn’t matter now, though. What matters is that it worked out.”

He strode through the trees, his tall, broad figure cutting an easy swathe through the brush. It was dense here, close. The sun had been blocked out by the thicker canopy, and the world was tinged gray.

My brain still hadn’t caught up to everything that had happened. The fact that I’d escaped from the arena on a Dreki, a huge, black dragon whose voice had been clear as a bell in my head. And now that same Dreki was striding in front of me in an equally impressive human form. All these years I’d believed there was something wrong with me because the Skin males I came across did nothing to fire up my libido, and then two Dreki come along and suddenly my body was acting like a wanton whore. I needed to hit something.

As if summoned by my thoughts, the road ahead was filled with wicked howls.

Vesper let out a bark of laughter. “Great. I needed the opportunity to exercise my blade.” He pulled his sword from its sheath and glanced over his shoulder at me. “Don’t get bit and don’t pass out.”

I bared my teeth in a brutal grin. “Fuck you, Vesper.”

He arched a brow and shrugged. “You wish. I’m not carrying you if you pass out.”

The howls were almost on us now. “Back to back. Move.”

“Ooo. Bossy.” But he fell into position.

Just in time too. The hounds came pouring toward us through the trees, massive black and gray beasts equipped with fangs and claws. My body went into auto-drive. With a whoosh, Jezebel began to extract her pound and a half of flesh. Growls and yips, and the warm splash of blood, the burn of muscle as Jezebel made arc after arc, snagging in flank and hide and then tearing out huge chunks of meat.

Vesper’s laughter was a symphony on the wind, and my throaty chuckle was its base accompaniment. Together, we cut the hounds down one by one, until the few remaining made the wise decision to run.

We stood, gasping, laughing, and covered in blood, and damn, every ache and twinge felt fucking amazing. Vesper’s face was speckled with crimson, his eyes bright jewels in his face, his teeth bright and white in the growing gloom.

Our gazes locked and our laughter died. His attention dropped to my parted lips, and the cobalt blue in his eyes was eaten away by inky black. My breath twisted in a knot in my throat as a strange energy bloomed between us, pulsing, tugging, compelling, and prodding the memory of his lips on my neck, of the echo of his tongue on my most intimate place.

He licked his lips and narrowed his eyes. “Maybe we should fuck.”

My chest fluttered. “What?” Damn the squeak. I was so not a squeaky person.

He stalked closer. “Nothing like a raw fucking to round off a battle.”

He was so close now that I could smell him—sweat, cinnamon, and something sharp, forceful, and undeniably male.

He raised his sword and placed the tip lightly on the side of my face, then trailed it down my cheek, into the hollow of my neck, and across my chest, coming to rest at the top of my breasts. Dante had touched me with his hands, but for some reason the cold steel flecked with blood had me dizzy with desire. I was breathing too heavy, my eyelids hooded. Dammit, I hated not being in control.

“What do you say, Anya?” He drew out the ‘A’ almost tauntingly.

And then that quick mouth of his curled in a smug smile and it was as if someone had dumped a cold bucket of water over my head.

“I’d have more fun fucking myself, thanks.”

His smile widened into a grin. “I very much doubt that.”

Another stab of desire down below. Fucking hell. “Now, if you’ve finished coming on to me, maybe you can make good on your word and get me home.”

Thank goodness my voice came out strong and sure.

He backed up and inclined his head. “Lead the way.”

I swept past him, making sure to inject a forceful air into my walk to counter my weak knees. Vesper in dragon form was dangerous, but Vesper in human form ... I had no doubt he was lethal.

It was going to be a long night.

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