Jaden was shaking his head. “Duncan isn’t gay.”
“No, he’s not.” Jaden’s expression turned cynical. “He’s bi, just like you.”
Jaden frowned. “Honey, Duncan has never shown an interest in men. Believe me, I would have known.”
“Of course not. He had you.”
Jaden’s eyes rolled, which looked really weird. They were still vampiric, black with red hot flames in the center. “If Duncan was ever into men then he’s been so far in the closet he’s been living in Narnia.” Jaden turned his back on her. “Are you sure some other funky Sidhe sickness isn’t holding him back?”
“I’m positive.” She put her hand on the small of his back, smiling when he jumped. “He finally Claimed me today.”
“Good for you.”
God, the pain underlying that cheerful façade would drop a stronger man to his knees. She could feel it roiling within him. “Jaden, he couldn’t Claim me until you were here. Frankly, I think it was what you were doing in the shower that tipped him over the edge.”
His face turned bright red, his eyes leeching back to normal in shock. “Oh God.”
“Jaden, it’s all right.”
“No it’s not. He’s going to kill me.”
“Why?”
He shot her a disbelieving look. “I saw you naked. I rode, uninvited, in his head while he…” He gestured toward her body. “On the desk, no less!”
She laughed. Her sexy vamp sounded so prissy! “Are you kidding me? He was thrilled!”
His jaw dropped. “I have to get out of here.”
“Oh, no you don’t.”
His hand curled around her throat, but she wasn’t afraid. She could never be afraid of him. “Sweetheart, how are you planning on stopping me?”
”Like this.” She got up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
Jaden froze against her, his eyes wide. When her tongue reached out and tasted his lips he moaned.
She had to get him to stay. She had to. There was only one other man who tasted this wonderful, and no way would she lose either of them. She buried her fingers in the darkness of his hair and opened her mouth, offering herself to him. He tried to pull back but her hand in his hair stopped him. Unless he wanted to lose some of the silky strands or, worse, hurt her, he couldn’t get free.
Jaden would never deliberately hurt her. He’d go sunbathing first.
The tip of one of his fangs touched her lip. She ran her tongue along the tip, uncertain how he would react.
He sucked in a breath and moaned, his hands going to her hips. He held her trapped, unable to move as his mouth devoured hers, taking everything she’d offered and more. She allowed that small spark of Sidhe power inside her to rise to the surface, to surround them both. She dropped her Seeming, letting everything she was sink into him, needing him to accept everything she’d been telling him.
They were meant to be together. He was meant to be hers. If he tried to run again she’d hunt him down and tie his ass to her bed. That was, if Duncan didn’t get to him first.
He pulled back with a gasp. His expression was horrified. “No.”
She was panting, so aroused she could barely breath. “No?”
“You’re Duncan’s. He deserves you.”
She blinked. The way he’d phrased that struck a chord. “And you don’t?”
His jaw clenched. “Duncan deserves the best.” His smile was wistful. “Sweetheart, you’re the best.” He kissed the tip of her nose and let her go. “Let me go, Moira.”
“Can’t.” She grinned up at him. “I’ve begun Claiming you.” She patted his chest, feeling justifiably smug. “You belong to me now, and you’re not going anywhere.” She blinked up at him innocently. “You don’t want me getting sick, do you?”
“Are you serious?” She nodded. Oh yeah. She was deadly serious, and he’d just have to get with the program. “Uh, no. I don’t want you to get sick.” He gulped. He looked like someone had just poked him in the ass with a stick.
“Good.” She brushed a kiss on his chin and let him go. She watched him turn on his heel and damn near stumble out of the office. She leaned back against the desk and chuckled. There was no way her stubborn vamp was leaving Malmayne property any time soon.
This was going to be fun.
Chapter Five
“What the hell do you want?”
Charles Malmayne paused on his way out of the white limo, his silvery gray eyes widening in astonishment. “Is that any way to greet your uncle?”
Through sheer force of will Duncan kept himself from grinding his teeth. He did not need this right now. He had another mate to Claim, some Vows to recite. He watched his uncle get out of the limo and make his way toward the stairs.
“Perhaps we should take this inside.” Charles gestured to the front door, for all the world as if he was inviting Duncan into his home. Charles had always been arrogant, but since Cullen had passed away he’d gotten bold.
“I don’t think so.” Duncan planted himself in front of the door and crossed his arms. “There’s no reason we can’t take care of our business quickly and efficiently. State your business, Uncle.”
“We have much more to discuss than apparently you are aware of.” Charles smiled, and something about the older Sidhe’s expression had Duncan’s shoulders tightening in anticipation. Duncan’s own face must have been colder than he thought, because his uncle’s next words were, “Aren’t you going to invite me inside?”
“No.”
Charles sighed. “Very well. There is unrest among the clan members. Several of us feel you have not upheld the obligations the lord of the Malmaynes must meet.”
“Such as the punishment of the Dunne clan, the mating of Leo and a suitable Malmayne female, and the execution of Jaden Blackthorn?”
“So you are aware of our demands.”
Demands? Duncan could feel his fury trying to creep over his face but managed to keep it off. No way would he allow Charles to see him upset. “We owe honor debt to the Dunnes. You know this.”
“None of it would have happened if Leo Dunne had just chosen to accept the marriage to Kaitlynn. You know this, Duncan. Something could have been arranged with his pet human. It’s not as if it hasn’t been done before.”
“Theirs is a true bond.”
“Oberon himself proved that under the right incentive a true bond could be broken.”
Duncan’s eyes went wide. “Oberon’s bond was dissolved by the Gods themselves.” And that was only after the Dark Queen had been shown to be in league with pure evil.
“So Oberon would have you believe.” Charles put his hand on Duncan’s arm. Duncan was stunned. How could Charles believe a true bond could be set aside by nothing more than will? “I know two clan members who are willing to fulfill the Malmayne end of the bargain.”
He needed to nip that thought before it bloomed. “That contract is between the heads of the two households. As there is no longer a daughter of Clan Malmayne, the contract cannot be fulfilled that way.”
Charles shook his head. “Duncan. You know who I mean.”
His eyes narrowed. “The point is moot. The marriage contract has already been fulfilled. I am married to Moira Dunne.”
“She is unsuitable.”
Duncan took a deep breath, the rage building deep within him. How dare he malign Duncan’s chosen? “She is mine.”
“What about the debt owed by the Dunnes?”
Duncan rolled his eyes. He was done with this topic. “Get it through your thick skull. We damaged the Dunnes. Got it? We owe them.”
Charles merely shrugged. “And the vampire?”