I threaded my fingers through his hair, holding him to me as I swallowed and kissed and sucked. He allowed it, his palm against my thigh and his opposite hand holding my face.
This was unexpected. Beautiful.Bliss.
I didn’t want it to end, but I felt the moment the jet hit the ground and knew what would come next.
However, Jace gave me a few precious extra minutes, his essence thick in my throat as he coated me in his version of protection.
I understood that now—this was his way of bolstering my strength. Because neither of us knew what would happen next.
What if Lajos recognized me? Was he one of my immortal ties? We didn’t know, and the files we’d reviewed hadn’t provided any useful information. My solitary saving grace was that I couldn’t remember ever seeing Lajos, which hopefully meant he’d never seen me before either.
His lips left mine, tracking a path down my neck to my breasts, where he moved the fabric away to reveal one nipple. I knew what he intended to do a mere second before his fangs claimed my nipple. A scream threatened my mouth, but I fought the urge and forced myself to swallow it, to be the silent human I knew he needed me to be.
And he rewarded me by laving my wounded flesh before grinning up at me. “Very good, Calina.”
I kept my fingers in his hair and tightened my grip just a little to express annoyance, which made him smile wider.
And then he bit me again, only harder this time.
My whole body shook with the need to shout, but I miraculously held it inside.
Which earned me another of those devastating smiles.
He moved with rapid speed to capture my mouth again as his fingers drew the blood around my areola, painting the essence along my skin.
Then he nibbled my lower lip once more before lifting off of me and deftly finding his feet beside the bed.
“Come, Calina,” he murmured, his hand dangling between us. “I can’t wait to show you off.”
I shivered at the darkness in his meaning. He’d just painted me in my own blood, the offering somewhat clear. And yet he’d told Darius that he didn’t intend to let Lajos taste me.
The two seemed counterproductive to each other, but I wasn’t in a place to argue.
So I pressed my palm to his and allowed him to help me up off the bed.
He fixed my dress, the fabric clinging to my freshly wounded nipple. Then he ran his fingers through my hair and his own and fixed the collar of his black dress shirt. He’d paired it with a dark jacket and pants, but no tie, leaving a sliver of his pale skin on display near his throat.
Stunning is right, I thought, drinking in the sight of him.
This part of me that he’d awakened hungered for more; it hungered forhim.
It was a dangerous sensation that would undoubtedly lead to a lethal end. Each passing second seemed to ensnare me more, making resisting this being impossible.
And the devious twinkle in his silver-blue gaze told me he knew it, too.
“You’re edible, darling,” he whispered, his lips brushing mine. “I’m going to miss your eyes.” He spoke the words so softly I almost didn’t hear them. Then he cupped my face and gently tilted my head into a more submissive pose.
I expected him to walk me forward.
However, he knelt before me instead.
His fingers traced my calf beneath the fabric of my dress, all the way down to the strap of my heel. The elastic had been twisted when he’d carried me to the bed, and I hadn’t noticed. But I likely would have felt it after a few steps.
“Thank you, My Prince.” The words were barely audible, as I didn’t know who could hear us.
“You’re welcome, little genius,” he replied, his thumb tracing my ankle before gliding up my leg as he stood once more. His lips brushed my temple as his palm left my thigh to reach around and press to the bare skin of my lower back.
He didn’t say another word as he led me from the jet.