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“I thought you’ve drank from dhampirs before. Why didn’t you expect this?” “Because none of the dhampirs I’ve tasted before had this effect on me.”
“It’s strange.”
“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but stop it. I am not special and I am not a mystery and I’m not any of the other shit you’re about to spout.”
“Don’t you think if my blood was some kind of magical booster, someone would have figured it out by now?”
“I am not special.” He frowns. “Yes, Mina. You are. Even without the blood element.”
“I am not the enemy.”
His gaze flicks to me. “You have something of mine.”
“Look how quickly he gave you away. Doesn’t that make you angry? Do you see how still he sits? He doesn’t want me to bite you, and yet he’s not going to stop me. How does that make you feel?”
“Malachi, you’ve been keeping secrets.”
“You look surprised, love. Doesn’t Malachi close the bite marks with his blood when he tastes you?”
“You know the reason he sent her here instead of another one of those hapless humans is because he wants your bloodline.” Malachi doesn’t move. “I’m aware.”
“The second you knock her up, Cornelius is going to come collect his daughter, and then he’ll have your child under his control—and as leverage.”
“He used a blood ward, and it would take a human sacrifice or a being more powerful than a vampire to break it.”
“You killed the last woman he sent. Why not use her death to free yourself?” Malachi makes a move that’s almost a flinch. “I didn’t kill her. She killed herself.”
Seven bloodlines. Seven powers. The elementals; earth, air, water, fire.
But the other three? Body, blood, spirit. My father is the latter, and I’ve seen what he can do with glamour and illusion when he’s angry. I’ve felt it, had my deepest, darkest fears dragged forth and shoved in my face. Had my very mind turned against me. If he can do that kind of damage with only the mind, what more can Wolf do with the blood?
But my body hasn’t gotten the memo. Something hot and wet escapes the corner of my eye. I lower my head, and Malachi allows me that much, but he uses the opportunity to tuck me more firmly against his chest. “I’m sorry,” he repeats. “No one is going to kill you.”
“If not you, then Wolf. If not him, then my father will once I’ve played out my role.”
Malachi’s arms tighten around me. “I won’t let it happen.”
“You gave me to him.” He tenses and then sighs. “It’s complicated.” “It doesn’t seem complicated from where I’m sitting. I thought…”
“Maybe I’ll let him. Since you’re not interested in sex, I might as well do it with someone else. Wolf’s scary, but he’s hot, and I’d hate to die a virgin.”
“What the fuck part of me giving you space to find your feet translates into that thick head of yours I don’t want to have sex with you?”
“A week,” he grinds out through clenched teeth. “Seven fucking days. You spent your entire life under the thumb of Cornelius and then he shipped you off here where you’re just as trapped. Forgive the fuck out of me if I wanted you to choose me instead of just going along with it because you had no other option.”
“Why don’t we try some honesty right now?” He holds my gaze. “The reason I stopped doing anything but biting you is because I don’t trust myself not to seduce you into having sex with me before you’re ready. I fucking ache for you, Mina, but I want you to choose me because you want me. I don’t want it to be coerced because you’re out of your mind with bloodlust.”
“We’re friends. Sometimes more.”
face. “You want to share me for more than just blood.” He holds my gaze. “Wolf and I fuck, Mina. We have since we were teenagers.”
“So you’re going to keep fucking Wolf, but you want to fuck me, too, and you’d be into me also fucking Wolf,”
“You don’t need to say anything now.” He releases me, and despite the fact he’s still pressed against me, I feel unmoored. “I just wanted to clarify where things stand.”
“How quickly you forget you told him to bite you, little dhampir.”
“And if I have sex with him?” Malachi meets my gaze. “Someday, you’ll believe I’m not your father. I have no desire to own you, Mina.” His hand snakes out and he grasps my chin. “I simply want you.”
“And what happens if Wolf knocks me up, Malachi? If he gets there first because you’re too busy being noble to take what you want?”
“Do you want me to fuck you, little dhampir? All you have to do is ask. All you’ve ever had to do is ask.” He leans forward, easily holding me immobile. “But you do have to ask. We started things poorly, and I’m not interested in playing the part of marauding beast any longer. If we do this, it’s because you’re choosing it, not because I forced the issue. Until you’re ready to admit that, it’s not happening.”
“Wolf.”
“I like the way you say my name, love.”
“Makes me think I’ll like it even more if you say it while I’m inside you.”
“You’re bloodline’s power is actually blood.”
“Fun little side effect of my powers is I can sense blood. Do you know what gets the blood flowing, love?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer. “Desire.”
“Another perk.” His amusement is cutting. “With a little blood in my body, I can keep it up for days if I want to. Think of all the pleasure I can give you, love. Come back to the bedroom with us.”
“Mina, stroke your clit or I’m going to come over there and do it for you.” I jolt. “What?” “You heard me.”
“She tastes divine, doesn’t she? Just as sweet there as she is in her veins.”
I changed my mind. Fuck me. Fuck me until we forget all the reasons this might be a mistake.
“I’ll hold still, love.” His voice is pure sin, as tempting as Lucifer himself. “Rub yourself all over me while Malachi fucks my ass.”
“That virgin pussy is mine, Wolf. If you fuck her tonight, I’ll rip your goddamn throat out.”
“And here I thought we were sharing the pretty toy.” “We will.” He says it so casually, as if it’s a foregone conclusion. I’m not sure he’s wrong. “But not the first time.”
He grabs my wrist and turns to press a kiss to my palm. “Now be a good girl and rub your pussy all over Wolf’s cock until he comes.” He starts moving again, resuming his fucking, each thrust making Wolf jolt against me a little. It’s beyond sexy.
“Gods, Wolf.” He goes stock still. “Fuck, but I like it when you say my name.” He kisses my neck. “What do you need, love?” I answer before I can think about the wisdom of it. “Bite me.”
“I said I wouldn’t do this.” He curses long and hard, looking like an entirely different person, a creature more beast than man. “Say yes, Mina.” No mistaking what he means. No pretending I don’t know what I’m going to get if I agree. I don’t know if he’ll let me walk out of this room if I tell him no, but I believe with my entire heart he’d try.
“I’m going to bite you to negate that.” He hesitates, suddenly looking more like the man I’ve been spending so much time with, rather than the monster who just ripped his friend’s throat out so he could fuck me first. “Are you sure, Mina?”
“I’ve never had a choice, Malachi. Not once in my fucking life. I’m saying yes, choosing this. Stop questioning it and fuck me.”
“Malachi.” We go still at the warning in Wolf’s tone. Malachi shudders out a breath. “I have it under control.” “Do you? Because I have no desire to die in a fire because you’re so lost in our Mina’s sweet pussy that you burn the house down around us.” “I have it under control,” Malachi repeats.
