“She’s right, how come you didn’t trace her out of here?” What if this was a trap and she’d walked right into it?
“My blood oath with Caiaphas hampered some of my abilities. One of which prevented me from tracing Marley out of here when we were captured. But you’re not under his control.”
“Well, it’s worth a shot.” Jenny closed her eyes and traced into the cell.
“It worked. But you still shouldn’t have come.” Marley’s words came out slow, sluggish.
“Did you honestly believe I would leave you here to die if I could save your life?” Jenny was starting to worry.
“I suppose not.” Marley lowered her gaze.
“Let’s get out of here.” Jenny reached for her friend and traced from the cell before Marley tried to come up with an argument about leaving her there because it wasn’t safe.
“You did it, she’s free.” Harris seized Marley and hugged her tightly.
“I figured if you could get me past Dane’s barrier, then I could get Marley past Caiaphas’.”
“Good idea. Let’s go before we’re discovered.”
They traced back to the den and Dane attacked Harris. “You’re dead. How dare you kidnap my mate?”
“I asked her to come with me. I didn’t take her against her will.” Harris didn’t back away as Dane advanced.
“Stop! He’s telling the truth. I wanted to help free Marley.” She stepped in between the two vampires.
“You what?” Surprise flitted across Dane’s features.
“I’m sorry for betraying you. But you didn’t leave me much choice under the circumstances.”
“That’s not an apology.” He ripped out the words.
“I had to save her though.” She cringed. He had a point but if he’d been willing to save her friend in the first place, she wouldn’t have gone behind his back.
“How dare you trick my mate into coming with you?” Dane pushed Jenny out of the way and slammed into Harris, knocking him to the ground.
“I had no choice.”
“He didn’t force me to go with him. Stop it.” She jumped on Dane’s back and tried to pry him off Harris.
“And you think that fucking matters to me?” Rage twisted his features as he glanced over his shoulder at her.
“You would’ve done the same thing in my position.” Harris remained oddly calm under the circumstances.
“Stop being an asshole!” This was ridiculous. She wasn’t about to let Dane kill Harris over trying to save her friend. Besides, nothing bad happened.
“Let go.” Dane gave her a hostile glare.
“Not until you listen to reason. She’s important to me and I would’ve done anything to save her.”
Dane’s nostrils flared with fury. She could smell his potent wrath in the air as it seeped from his pores. He grew still. His whole frame trembled as he drew in deep breaths to try to calm himself.
“For your sake, I will let it go for now.” He glared at Harris.
“Thank you.” She could tell it took him great effort to let it go.
“Marley, what’s wrong?” Harris pushed Dane away and went to his mate.
“Is she okay?” Jenny ran over to her friend.
“No. This whole fucking experience has been a complete mind fuck. Caiaphas beat the crap out of her. She hasn’t slept or eaten in at least two days and since she’s human, I’m sure that can’t be good. So do you think we can fight about this shit later?” He frowned.
“We’re done,” Dane said in a cold tone.
“Hey, kiddo, wake up, it’s me.” Jenny waved her arms in front of Marley’s face.
“Jenny?” Her head bobbed like she was going to pass out.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just a little weak is all. Who’s the angry creep?”
“Do you mean that handsome guy over my shoulder? Oh, don’t worry about him. That’s my boyfriend Dane. He won’t hurt you. He’s actually really nice once you get to know him.”
“Jeezus, Jenny. I leave you alone for a few months and see the trouble you’ve gotten yourself into?” She grinned weakly.
“It seems you’ve found some trouble too.” She glanced over at Harris, who finally smiled.
“He’s the best kind of trouble.” Marley winked.
Harris squeezed her fingers. “How are you feeling?”
“I’ve had better days.”
“You need to rest.” He kissed her cheek.
“Dane, come here, I want you to meet Marley.” Jenny noticed his body language and it was clear he was still pissed.
“Fine.” He pushed off from the wall and went over to her.
“Marley, this is Dane.”
“Hi.” She glanced at him warily.
“Hello, Marley,” Dane said in a cool tone, extending his palm. Marley hesitated before shaking it.
“You can trust him, Marley, he’s usually not this angry. He was worried about me.”
“I don’t blame him. What you two did was really stupid. Those Rogues were using me as bait.”
“It seems your friend is the only one here who realizes how dangerous that stunt was.” He released Marley and stood.
“I had no choice, you wouldn’t listen. Besides, you two would’ve done the same for me.” She scowled at him as he crossed back over to the wall and rested against it again.
“That’s not the point.” His penetrating eyes narrowed.
“Wait a minute.” Marley grabbed Jenny’s chin. “Have you been turned into a-a vampire too?” her friend stuttered.
“Um—about that…”
“No games. Tell me the truth.” Marley’s expression turned hard.
“Yes, I’m what they are now.”
“Are you serious? He didn’t force you, did he?” Marley’s eyes widened.
“Of course not. Dane and I love each other. It was my choice to become a vampire. I wanted to be a part of his world.”
“Wow, okay, that’s cool, I guess. Fast, if you ask me, but if you’re sure about this?”
“I’m positive about him. We love each other.” Jenny smiled at Dane and the corners of his mouth turned up in response. His anger was finally fading, which was a relief.
“Give me a hug. I’m glad you’re okay.” Marley reached for her.
“I’m fine. I was more worried about you.” Things were turning out better than she had hoped. Her friend was safe and accepting of Jenny’s new physical state and Dane wasn’t mad anymore.
“I’m still mad at you for risking your life like that.”
“You would have done it for me.”
“Don’t be angry with her. I dragged your friend into this. And I’m not going to apologize for it. We did what we had to do to save your life.” Harris helped Marley sit up.
“It was still stupid to risk it.”
“I’d withstand exposure to the sunlight to save you if I had to,” Harris declared.
“You’re still in trouble with me.” Marley kissed his lips.
“It appears I’m not the only one who’s fallen for a vampire.” Jenny winked.
“He’s kind of gotten under my skin.”
“We should go.” Dane clenched his jaw, impatience clearly etched in his expression.
“Get some rest,” Jenny said to her friend.
“I don’t feel safe enough to rest.”
“Relax. Nothing’s getting in here. Not with this many wolf shifters present. Let’s go, Jenny.” Dane extended his hand to her.
“I’ll see you later.” Jenny got up and left with him before her friend could protest.
* * * * *
The walk toward the cellar where Dane kept his blood supply was a silent one until they entered the room. Maybe she was wrong in her assumption that he wasn’t mad anymore.
“I’m sorry for taking off.” She hoped an apology might help her cause.
“Do you have any idea how upset I was to discover you missing? How could you betray me like that?”
Nope, he’s still pissed.
“I wanted to help my friend but you wouldn’t listen to me. She’s important to me but that doesn’t matter to you, does it?”
“You could’ve been captured,” he told her in a low voice.
“I know it was a stupid thing to do.” Regret tightened her throat.
“I need you to promise me something.”
“What?” She hated making promises because like pie crust they were easily broken.
“Promise you won’t go behind my back again.”
“You act like I did it to spite you.”
“Jenny…”
“Okay, I promise.”
Wow, I can’t believe he doesn’t understand my motive for wanting to help her.
“Vow it.”
“Doesn’t my promise mean anything?”
He closed the distance between them. “You are precious to me…my only weakness. If they were to hurt you, I…” He trailed off.
“Shh—it won’t happen again, I vow it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips met and the flood gates opened as their tongues slowly twined together. A tremor moved through her.
He released her lips and took a step back. “You need to feed.” His voice was husky and deep.
“I want to take my nourishment from you.”
A low rumble in his throat made her pause. He reached for a bag of blood, bit into it and drained it quickly, then finished off three more without wasting time.
“Let’s go.” He clutched her around the waist and quickly traced back to their room.
“Kiss me,” she said.
He claimed her mouth, his tongue sliding past her parted lips. The taste of blood, mixed with his purely masculine scent, invaded her senses. She was so caught up in their embrace that she barely realized he had completely stripped her until the rippled planes of his chest settled against her breasts. Her fingers tangled in his hair, angling his head for a deeper kiss. He picked her up and the swell of his engorged cock cradled against her belly sent delicious shivers down her spine. Its steel-hard length pulsed against her heated flesh.
He lowered her gently onto the bed and climbed on top of her.
“I want to ride you.” She splayed her fingers against his bare chest.
He swiftly flipped them over so that she straddled his waist. “Is this better?”
“Mm-hm…” There were no words. She began to rock against him, her clit rubbing along the underside of his swollen shaft. She was desperate to get closer to him, wanting that amazing connection only they shared with each other.
She captured his length, centered her core directly over it and slowly sank down over him. His muscles bunched and knotted from the strain of holding back as she continued to sink inch by glorious inch. He groaned deeply, saying incoherent things. It thrilled her that she could bring him to this mindless state. He cupped her breasts, holding them firmly as he tilted his hips forward. She moaned at the pleasure.
“That’s it, Jenny.” He urged her to move with him as he continued to thrust his hips forward.
She reached back and rested her palms on the tops of his thighs as she ground into him. Another moan left her. He tightened his grip on her breasts, strumming her pink nipples again and again. The sensation was building as his hot tongue licked her swollen buds, drawing them to hard points.
She gasped out, “Please…”
With every touch, every lick, she drew closer. He rolled her onto her back and took control. The weight of his masculine framed pressed into her and his incredible strength delighted her. He was perfect and he was all hers. He pounded into her, causing every muscle in her core to contract and flutter. He reached between her legs, his fingers expertly zeroing in to rub her clit with each forceful thrust of his hips.
“Now, Jenny…” His harsh, gravelly tone was full of lust as he exposed his neck to her.
She licked his skin. Her fangs extended and sank into his flesh. Blood flowed down her throat as a powerful orgasm tore through her center, seizing her core. The spasms coupled with the rich taste of his blood caused her eyes to roll back. She sucked greedily as wave after wave of ecstasy like no other tore through her.
He continued to pound into her in a frenzied pace, his whole body trembling. She released his neck. He roared and his back bowed from the intense climax. He devoured her mouth as he continued to convulse from his orgasm. Their teeth scraped together, tongues meshing greedily. When he finally stilled, he collapsed on top of her. A delicious lethargy fell over her and she wrapped herself tightly around the man she loved. She heard his breathy groan of satisfaction as he rolled them to their sides.
“That was really nice.” She yawned.
“Did you get enough or do you need more?”
“Mm…I can never get enough of you.” And she realized how true the words really were.
He shifted them again and she stretched out on top of him, kissed him once, twice and then stared at him.
“What is it?” he asked, gently caressing her back.
“I want you to promise me something too.”
“What?” He glowered at her.
“You said you would teach me how to fight.”
“I will teach you but you are not going to fight Rogues and that’s final.”
“Why are you treating me like some weak female who can’t take care of herself? It’s not fair. I don’t want to be at that kind of a disadvantage.” She watched as he rubbed his hands down his face in frustration.