Page 113 of Undying
“I’m not worthy of having a mate. I gave up the hope of ever finding one a long time ago. Then you arrived. You see yourself as a monster and unworthy, but I’ve never met anyone so beautiful. Despite the way you were turned, you still believe in good and evil, which is almost unheard of in our world.” He closes his eyes like he’s in pain, his voice becoming rougher.
“I’m not an easy person to be near, an asshole most of the time—” I snort at his accurate description, and he winces but doggedly continues with a determined expression on his face. “If you agree to be my mate, you should know that I’ll be a possessive bastard. It’s built into our vampire DNA.”
After spending my whole life alone, damn if that doesn’t actually sound nice.
“The longer a supernatural goes without a mate, the more unstable we become. When we finally meet ourreina, we become obsessed.” He reaches up and captures my jaw, his brown eyes darkening with intensity. “My sole existence will be completely devoted to your safety and happiness. You’ll become my whole reason for living. There is nowhere on earth where I won’t follow you. If you accept my claim, nothing will keep you from me, not even death.”
He loosens his hold, his fingers trailing lightly down the side of my face, and I can’t get over the impression that he’s saying goodbye. When his touch finally drops away, he releases a shuddering breath, then closes his eyes. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my mate?”
ChapterThirty-Three
JOLIE
It’s like Stanton is trying to make himself as unappealing as possible. Every girl knows to run when a guy starts to give off stalker-ish vibes, but I’ve never claimed to be sane.
In fact, everything he describes sounds like heaven.
Reaching up, I gently cup his face, almost expecting him to flinch and scuttle away. He leans into my touch, a pained expression twisting his face, and my heart turns over in my chest. It’s odd seeing him so vulnerable, and I don’t like it.
“Look at me.” I gently tap his cheek, then smile up at him when his eyes spring open. His gaze locks on mine, and the rest of the world drops away. I could list all the ways he’s perfect for me or catalog all my failings and tell him I would be a wretched mate, but he’s so trapped in his own head, I’m not sure he would hear a word I say.
There is only one way to convince him of the truth. I slip my hands to the back of his head, tangle my fingers into his hair, then yank his head down to mine. The instant our lips touch, my soul sings, recognizing him as the last piece that will make me whole. Lust immediately clouds my head, and the need to get closer to him is all that matters.
Only when my lungs scream for air do I reluctantly pull back. Panting hard, desperate to catch my breath, I press my head against his shoulder. He cradles me close, his grip just short of brutal, his hold possessive, and I love every second of his attention.
He clutches me to him like I’m something special, and it’s a heady experience, one that I could get addicted to really quick. I give a small, breathless chuckle and lift my head. “If you were trying to scare me away, you failed horribly.” I brush my fingertips against his lips, then purposely nick my finger on the tip of his fang hard enough to draw blood.
His pupils blow wide, the black swelling until it consumes even the whites of his eyes. His nostrils flare, then it’s like he stopped breathing just so he could enjoy my scent longer. Desire sparks through my body, spreading like an inferno, and I can’t stop squirming to get closer. A shudder goes through me when his cock hits my core just right.
I bite my lip to hold back my moan, a flush sweeping up my face as an orgasm hovers just out of reach. He snarls, the sound electrifying the air, and I can’t stop from planting my feet on the seat for better leverage, almost desperate now to have him touch me.
Almost faster than I can track, he lashes out and captures my hand. Eyes locked on mine, he slowly brings my bloody finger to his mouth and licks it clean with one bold swipe. My whole body locks up tight. My pussy weeps, fluttering around nothing, the sensation almost painful, and I’m not even embarrassed that I’m panting like some hussy.
“This is your last chance to run,” Stanton warns, his voice a low rumble that has my nipples diamond hard and aching for his touch. As if to belie his words, his grip on me tightens, and I’d swear that his fangs lengthen.
“I’ve been running toward a dead-end future my whole life. I followed the rules—I listened when told what to wear, what to say, how to act, and I never once stepped out of line. The only thing that got me was dead. What you are offering is everything I’ve ever wanted but was never brave enough to take for myself.” I set my hands on either side of his face, then wrap my legs around his hips. “This is me enthusiastically embracing the beautiful future you offer. I’m not afraid of you or your darkness. I didn’t believe in fate until now, because no one could have picked more perfect mates for me.”
I tilt my head to the side, offering him my throat, my heart fluttering in my chest. “My future is uncertain, we might not live beyond tonight, but I’m yours if you want me.”
I don’t register he has even moved until his fangs sink into my neck. Pain sets all my nerve endings on fire, then the heat turns into an inferno of all-consuming lust. My hands fall to his shoulders, and he growls, his fangs burrowing deeper, like he’s afraid I’m going to push him away.
Foolish man.
I rake my nails down the back of his neck, and his growl turns into a purr. My body doesn’t need any more urging, and lights flash behind my closed eyes as my orgasm rolls over me. I’m not sure how long it goes on before his fangs finally retract, and I can’t stop the whimper that escapes.
“I’m not even a vampire, and that’s fucking hot,” Tobias whispers, but his growly words are loud in the confined space of the vehicle.
I glance over at our audience, and they each stare at me like wolves drooling over a bloody steak they want to devour.
“Well, I am a vampire, and I can tell you it’s even hotter than you’re imagining,” Milo mutters, his hand pressed against his cock through his trousers, as if to stop himself from coming on the spot.
Why do I find it so sexy knowing they watched while Stanton drank my blood?
A trail of blood trickles down my neck, and I’m boneless when Stanton delicately licks at my wounds and seals them. When he pulls back, I stiffen and my eyes snap open. “Where are you going?”
I cringe when my question comes out as more of a snarl, but Stanton just smiles down at me. “I’m not going anywhere.”
When he straightens, he drags me with him until I’m once more straddling his lap. I give a hum of approval when his cock hits me just right, and echoes from my orgasm ripple through me again. Before I give in to temptation and ride him like my body demands, his hands clamp down on my hips. I open my mouth to protest, then nearly swallow my tongue when he wordlessly tilts his head and offers me his throat.
