“Ah, water nymphs,” he said.
“We heard you across town, Rune!” the blonde said. “It sounded like you lost your ever-loving mind.”
His wide jaw clenched. Well, he didn’t like that comment at all. In a nonchalant tone, he said, “When it’s good, it’s good.”
Good? Dick, please. Her ears were still ringing from his yells.
The redhead added, “If you’re in such a desirous mood, we can tag out with her.”
Hello? He was obviously taken. Clue one: she was panties-less, with her legs wrapped around him. Not a chance, freaks.
“Of course, doves. Later.”
He did not just say “later.”
“We’ll find you after some trysts,” the redhead called. “We’ve got something we know you’ll like.”
“Come back at sunrise,” he told them.
Four nymphs at sunset. One vampire at midnight. A couple more nymphs at dawn?
They blew him kisses and sashayed away.
He returned his attention to Jo. “Nymphs: can’t live with them . . .”
She’d just gotten this guy off—his dick was still wedged between them—and he was making a date with other women! With . . . with nymphs! Asshole!
Why would he do that? He’d reacted to her far more strongly than he had to those others.
Even more confusing? His expression toward Jo was tender. She could almost pretend he was seeing her. Except for the fact that he was planning to see others.
“Now, where were we?”
“You were just arranging a couple of hookups for later.” Her claws sharpened.
He cast her a disappointed look. “Jealousy? You’re already possessive of me.” He too was coming out of a lust haze, seeming to wake up. “I don’t do jealousy. Great gods, vampire, I’ve known you for a total of fifteen minutes.” He dragged his hips back, then all but dropped her. “I haven’t even swived you yet.” He yanked up his pants, dressing so fast his movements were a blur.
She swatted her skirt down. “Possessive? As if I’d want you for my own.” I’d kind of wanted you for my own. I want someone for my own! “You’re just a blood bag in a big-dicked package. Who didn’t last long enough to get me off.” Story of her life! Her lips drew back from her fangs.
With a growl, he pressed her against the wall again. “You’re baring your fangs at me? Defying me again? You have no idea what I could do to you!”
“Do to me? Other than leave me hanging?”
“I fed you, did I not?” He trailed his fingers over her bite mark, and a look of realization dawned on his face. “You bit me, drinking my blood straight from my flesh. Something I have never had to worry about. Blood-taking has consequences, female. Which you well know.”
No, she didn’t!
For the briefest moment, his expression morphed into one of intent. Deadly intent. “Such plans . . .”
Then he flashed her that grin, even as his free hand discreetly inched toward his blade. Shock radiated through her. He was going to knife her because she’d taken blood from his neck?
Lady-killer, literal.
Dickwad!
Too bad he could never hold her.
“Oh, well. What’s done is done.” His words were light, but the timbre of his voice had changed.
As hers did when she was about to kill someone.
TEN
Rune inwardly cursed. A vampire had drunk from his flesh, taking his blood—and possibly his memories.
After all these years of protecting the secrets of the Møriør, he’d allowed a security breach.
Of epic proportions.
Eliminating the breach was the only alternative. He knew this, and yet he hesitated, his desires warring with his duties. Josephine had given him the most blistering pleasure he’d ever experienced.
She’d somehow tolerated his poisoned blood. It had pleasured them both, and nourished her.
Naturally he wanted to investigate this, at least until he’d tired of her—or discovered another who could drink him. If one such creature existed . . .
It only took seven thousand years to find this one, baneblood.
And even if he came across another, no such female could trump Josephine’s attractiveness. Right now, he had trouble coming up with any female who could.
No matter what, beheading this woman seemed such a waste. His hand paused at his blade. “Do you dream the memories of those you drink?” Maybe she didn’t possess that ability; some vampires didn’t.
“I’ve definitely never done that.”
He was tempted to believe her. “You’re not a cosaş? A reader of bloodborne memories?”
“No.”
Natural-born vampires were incapable of lying. When attempting to voice a falsehood, they experienced severe pain.
Of course, in the world of the immortals, every rule had an exception.
Perhaps he should force Josephine back to his lair and monitor her. In addition to his opulent rooms at Perdishian Castle, he had a second home in the realm of Tortua. The outer walls were warded, escape-proofed.
He would keep her for a while, making certain she posed no threat.
Yet what if a cosaş drank her, then what would happen? Though unable to read memories, she still could have harvested them.
Rune could never let her go free into the worlds. A permanent female capture? In his private sanctuary?
Unless he disposed of her.
Damn it, he didn’t have time for this! His dick had led him straight into trouble, and he was no closer to killing Nïx.
He would secure the vampire, debate his options, then return to search for his target until sunrise.
He looped his arm around Josephine, crushing her against him. “I’m going to imprison you, female. Regrettably for both of us, you’ll remain my captive for the rest of your life, however short a time that might be. The longer you keep me interested, the longer you’ll live.”
She thrashed against him. “Let me go, freak!”
He sighed with irritation. “I’m far too powerful for you to break free. Not even a millennia-old demon can trace from my hold.” A proven fact.
“Trace?”
“Don’t play ignorant, little girl.”
Her widened eyes narrowed to slits. “Little girl? I’ve never been a little girl.”
When she stilled, his irritation turned to bafflement, because she began dematerializing—like tracing, but slower. “Impossible.” Somehow she was evading his viselike grip.
Face gone even paler, eyes even darker, she smirked at his disbelief.
He’d never known a vampire who could control their tracing to this degree.
“I’m more powerful than I look, little boy,” she purred. “I’ll remember you planned to imprison me—at best—and gut me at worst. Guard your back, because I’ll be watching you.” Then she disappeared.
Jo had heard of coffee dates gone wrong, but seriously? What a prick!
After ghosting from his hold, she’d gone fully invisible, settling into the opposite wall of the courtyard.
She meant what she’d said; she intended to monitor his every move. Tonight she would discover more about his world.
About my world.
This dude was old—holy shit, was he old!—so he would have answers.
Already she’d learned she was a vampire, and there were others. Dark fey and nymphs and demons existed.
On an abomination scale, a mortal turned vampire would have to be better than a demon, right? Hey, Thaddie, I’m a vampire, but luckily—phew—not a demon.
Again she wondered if she would live to be thousands of years old. The thought depressed her.