Page 95 of Marked
My hand goes around the back of his neck and I pull him down to me. I kiss him hard. He chuckles against my mouth.
“Seriously, not that I’m complaining ...”
“You are even more beautiful when you laugh,” I murmur against his lips.
He nuzzles me. “I think that’s supposed to be my line.”
I kiss him again. “Who cares?”
He cocks his head, really thinking about it. His arms wind around me, and he lifts me against him as he lowers his mouth to mine. “Good point.”
***
The guys pull out of the colony house’s parking deck, SUV’s loaded to the brim with weapons and able-bodied warriors.
Caine sighs wistfully next to me. “Always the bridesmaid and never the bride.”
Raina rolls her eyes as she turns back around, and I laugh. “You volunteered, remember?” I ask.
His lips spread into a coy smile. “Did I? Did I really, little bird? I’m pretty sure I was ...coerced.” His hellfire eyes flash, and Raina and I both make sounds. His laughter is devious. Delighted. “Just checking.”
The vampire queen glares and starts walking back to the rear entrance of the compound. “You better pray I don’t tell Markus about that.”
Caine scoffs. “You know I don’t dothatshit.”
I snicker. “Caine was just verifying his masculinity, Raina. You know, since he pussed out to stay with usgirls.”
Raina nods, the motion slow, contemplative. “You know? You’re right.” She peers at the demon. “I forgive you, Caine. How about I paint your nails to make it up to you.”
His teeth flash. “You touch my manicured nails, Queen, and I tie you to the bed.”
She pouts. “But you know bondage isn’t my kink.”
Their banter continues and my cheeks hurt from laughing by the time we hit the tunnel to the colony house.
Caine slips up to the airlock door to unlock it, and I glance back the way we came.
“He will be fine, Lilah,” Raina says, softly. “We’ve been hunting Vlad for almost a year. Every time we get close, he slips away. Now we have a meeting place, and there is no way for him to run this time.”
I turn around. “I know, but I’m still worried.”
She smiles and brushes my hair behind my ear. “Then we need a way to fix that.” She peers at Caine as she tugs me to the now open doorway. “Hey, demon boy, you ever do any stripping?”
I don’t know who chokes more. MeorCaine.
His dark head whips between us, mouth opening and closing like a fish on land.
She chuckles and pushes past him, towing me behind her into the dim house. “I knew I could get him to shut up eventually.”
Chapter 42
Ruin
A gulf breeze flows in from the water below. Thick palms sway just off the shore, offering shadowed hideouts for all manner of dark beings. And I have two of the best.
Tanner and Gage will be down there by now. Waiting.
Markus lays next to me over the roof of the warehouse closest to the port, binoculars in hand. It’s been quiet since we got in the car, a silence that followed us to the dock.
