Page 50 of Ransomed to the World
If he allowed himself time to think about it, the overwhelming urge to claim her for his own threatened to consume him. He’d just been too afraid to do anything and risk losing the one woman who had come to mean everything to him.
The one woman who held his heart in her tiny hands.
Heart hammering against his ribs, his resolve caved, and he did what he’d wanted to do since he first locked eyes on her in the auditorium so many weeks ago…he allowed his beast free to claim her for their own.
“I’ll do it.” His voice emerged barely above a whisper. Misgivings faded as the need for her sizzled through his veins and settled into his core.
His beast tore free of his control and roared in victory, the possessive sound echoing in his head. The demand to claim her surged through him, and he clenched his fists against the need to leap the distance between them.
Every second, more and more of his rational thoughts vanished, leaving one thought repeating over and over…Mine!
A change swept over Camden, his pupils dilating, his nose lifting as if scenting the air. The signs were subtle, but the Camden she knew was gone.
Anthony must have seen the same thing. He gulped so loudly she heard it. He released her instantly and took a giant step away, dropping the spike and holding his hands in the air.
The movement drew Camden’s attention, and he whirled in their direction, his eyes locking on hers. A growl vibrated in his chest, so low she shouldn’t have heard it. It reverberated along her nerves, but instead of fear, heat suffused her, saturating her insides until she was practically panting from it, and she rubbed her arms at the almost uncomfortable sensations.
“Don’t run,” Anthony muttered, taking great care to not even twitch and draw attention to himself. Not even his mouth moved. “Whatever you do, don’t run.”
Instinct warned her not to turn, not to even acknowledge that anyone else existed. Camden stalked toward her, moving in a way that shouldn’t have been possible for a human, all sinuous and graceful.
She waited for nervousness or unease to strike, but the rest of the world fell away when she saw the raw desire that sparked in his eyes. It tempted her closer, begging her to come out and play.
“It’s a pheromone to lure in his prey,” Anthony murmured so low she barely heard it, her whole focus centered on Camden as he tracked her with a single-minded intensity that made her shiver.
Then he was in front of her.
He leaned forward, nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. His nose brushed along her neck, sending a shiver down her spine, and her lungs stalled as she waited for what he’d do next. He pulled back slightly, his eyes drifting over her face before dropping back down to her neck. He carefully pushed her hair back over her shoulder with a single finger, his mouth dropping open, revealing two canine teeth that were longer and sharper than before.
Fangs.
Her heart hiccupped in surprise—a second before he struck.
His teeth locked on her neck, breaking skin and sinking deep. Pain streaked up her neck and down into her shoulder, and she sucked in a sharp breath. When she shivered, he pulled her close, his arms banding around her like steel until she wasn’t sure she could pull away.
Not that she could try without ripping out her own throat.
Heat bloomed under her skin, the tingle spreading from the bite until it began to burn along her veins. She moaned, unable to stop herself from wrapping him in her arms as the pain turned to pleasure. She closed her eyes, feeling woozy in a way that made her legs go weak.
There was an almost inaudible snick as his fangs retreated, leaving her gasping and clinging to him. He pulled away, licking at the wound, making her shudder, enhancing the pleasure dancing along her nerve endings.
Unable to hold up her own weight, she leaned heavily against him. Her skin tingled, over sensitized to the point where even the slightest brush of air was arousing. The only thing that eased the ache was Camden’s touch.
“Annora?” Devastation coated Camden’s hoarse whisper. “What have I done?”
He clutched her to his chest, then slowly sank to the ground, settling her on his lap, then pulling her tight against him and rocking her back and forth. The rest of the guys gathered close, concern coating the air as they hovered over them, blocking out the morning light.
Feeling shy, Annora buried her face against Camden, feeling like she was floating on a cloud. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, stretching to nestle her face against his neck, loving the rough texture of the scruff along his jaw.
She inhaled deeply, giving a dreamy smile, and tipped her head back. “You smell of some wild, exotic flower.”
She snickered at the mental image of Camden stripping down and rolling around naked in a flower bed.
“Did she just giggle?” Logan’s beautiful blue eyes widened, a bemused smile breaking across his face as he glanced at the others. She reached for him, but he was much farther away then she expected. She fumbled, her hand fell to his shirt, and she grabbed the cotton in her fists, dragging him close.
With a surprisedoomph, he collapsed on top of them, the smell of fresh snow saturating her senses, and she looped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a broad smile. “Manwich!”
Chapter Fourteen
