Page 60 of Undying
Stronger.
More potent.
I shake off my curiosity, saving it for later, and work my way farther into the house, pausing when I find the source of the noise—Tobias. He is standing in a large ballroom, where furniture is stacked haphazardly around the room, most of the piles towering over me. I give the rest of the room a cursory glance, but I don’t detect any other sources of life.
I watch Tobias for a second as he mutters angrily to himself, pulling and yanking out random pieces of furniture and setting them aside. Then I find myself distracted by a ray of sunlight coming through one of the large ballroom windows.
The metal shades that are normally engaged during the daytime are open.
The timers should’ve engaged automatically.
Unless they’re turned off to make it easier for the guys to clean the house and maybe prevent vampires from sneaking in and catching them unawares.
I watch the sunlight dapple across the floor, almost hypnotized by the movement, and I bite my lip. I’ve never ventured outside during the day. Morbid curiosity gets the best of me, and I edge closer to the light.
I’m a vampire now, but I have no training and no understanding of my limits.
I know how much pain I can withstand before my body and mind breaks. If I have other weaknesses, I need to know about them. The bright rays lure me closer, and I shuffle forward, coming to a stop just outside the circle of light. My eyes ache at the intensity, watering slightly, before gradually adjusting to the difference. I lift my hand, then slowly reach into the light, my heartbeat rising, and I feel a pang in my chest at the thought of going the rest of my life without feeling sunlight on my skin.
I take a deep breath, my body tense as I slowly push my hand into the rays.
My skin tingles at the contact, the heat of the sun feeling good against the coldness of my skin, and I inch farther into the light, half expecting that I’ll burst into flames at any moment. I’m tense, ready to jerk back, but a feeling of peace settles over me at the warmth.
I step fully into the light, then close my eyes and tip my head back. The darkness inside me retreats, swirling through my center, not in fear, but just resting and waiting to be called forth in case of danger. The tingling intensifies, not quite at sunburn level, and I heave a sigh, knowing I’ll need to retreat soon.
A bone-chilling howl fills the room, and I whirl just in time to be tackled by what feels like a brick wall. We land hard, smacking the ground with so much force that I grunt at the impact. The snap and clatter of furniture crashing to the ground echoes around me as we skid into the stacks. I lift my hands, ready to sink my claws into my attacker, when the dark, woodsy scent of Tobias reaches me through my rage.
Before I have a chance to ask him what the hell he thinks he’s doing, he rears back, his blue eyes wide as he searches my body. He’s practically hyperventilating as he frantically pats me down, searching for injuries. I reach out to him slowly, only for him to grab my wrist. He blinks at it in confusion, then twists my hand this way and that, a scowl forming between his brows.
“Tobias…” I reach out with my other hand, pressing it against his chest, trying to calm him. He’s so lost in his beast, barely holding on to his control, that I’m not even sure he can hear me.
So I do the only thing that I know will get his attention.
I hook my leg around the back of his knee, then twist my hips and push my shoulder into his gut. He flips easily, landing on his back with athud, and I quickly straddle him. The move takes him by surprise, his hands landing on my hips.
I reach down and cup his face, then lean forward until our noses practically touch. It takes a moment for his eyes to focus, a little bit longer for the wild look in them to fade, then I give a little squeak when he lunges up and kisses me like I’m the very air he needs to breathe.
I don’t fight him, I couldn’t even if I wanted, so lost in the delicious taste of him, I can’t do anything but demand more.
A squeak escapes me when he takes me by surprise and flips me on my back. He settles between my thighs, his cock rubbing against my core, and I can’t stop the little growl that comes from my throat. A pleased rumble fills his chest, the vibrations hitting my clit just right, and it robs me of all rational thought.
“What the hell happened?” A harsh voice cracks like a whip through the room, and I jerk away…as much as Tobias will allow. I tip my head back, searching for the source of the disturbance, and see Stanton standing in the doorway with a scowl on his face.
Beyond him, Castle stands with his axe in both of his hands, his green eyes glowing. He takes the scene in with a glance, and shame fills me.
I’m such a shit mate.
It’s only been a few hours, and I’m already kissing another man.
I wait for his reaction, bracing myself for anger.
It’s nothing more than I deserve.
Tobias growls at the interruption, burying his face into my neck, and his lips skim down the sensitive flesh. I shiver at the attention, my nipples hardening, then I scrunch up my shoulders, nudging him, my voice husky as I whisper his name. “Tobias.”
He reluctantly stops, stealing one last nip at my neck that makes me shiver, before he pulls away. Instead of peeling himself off me, he drags me with him until I’m sitting in his lap. He clutches me close, like I’m his favorite teddy bear, and he glares like he’ll kill anyone who tries to take it away.
I don’t even try to escape, knowing it would be futile. I just set my hands on his arms and run my fingers up and down the length. In my mind, I swear I can almost feel fur under my fingertips instead of skin. Yet when I peer down, I only see tattoos decorating the strong, corded muscles of his forearms.
