Night Play (Dark-Hunter #6)(34)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Bride kissed her mother on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom."

Patrick met them in the living room. He held his hand out to Vane. "It was good meeting you, even if you are a drug-dealing pimp."

"You, too."

"Excuse me?" Bride asked.

"It’s a long story," Fury said with a laugh.

"Y’all be careful going home," Joyce said as she led them out to the car. "Oh wait, let me get a blanket for the dog so he won’t scratch the leather seats."

Bride took a few minutes to say goodbye again while her mother fetched the blanket, then put it in the back for Cujo. After she’d hugged and kissed her parents, Bride joined the wolves and dog in the car.

Within no time, they were headed back toward the Garden District.

"You have a nice family, Bride," Vane said.

She looked at him and then Fury. "Yeah, I do. I think you guys are the best."

Vane’s heart pounded at what she said. "I meant your family."

"You and Fury are part of my family, Vane. You’re the best part of it."

"I think you two need some privacy." Fang sat up and squeezed Bride’s hand. "Later, little sister." Then he and the dog vanished out of the back seat. Vane pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car. "What are you saying to me, Bride?"

She lifted her hand up to play with his hair as she stared into those incredible

hazel eyes that held her heart enslaved. "While my sister was yelling at me about how you would one day leave me high and dry, I had an epiphany. I’ve never in my life known anyone like you, Vane, and I doubt I ever will. I like the way you look at me as if you can already taste me. I like how you worry if I’m too cold or if I’ve had enough to eat. Most of all, I love the way you feel at night when you’re holding me close. The way you touch me as if you’re afraid I’m going to break. And how you take care to cradle me in your arms."

She paused and took a deep breath before she continued. "I love you, Vane. I don’t think I ever knew what real love was until you came into my life."

She held her marked hand up to him. "I’m ready to mate with you."

He looked startled and uncertain. "Are you sure about this?"

"The mere fact that you’re asking me that question when you know what you’ll lose if I say no proves to me just how right I am about you. Yes, Vane Kattalakis. I’m sure."

A slow smile spread across his face two seconds before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless. Vane pulled away with a deep, wolfish growl. "I really hate that I had to drive this damned thing. Otherwise I’d have us both in bed right now."

"Can’t you poof the car home?"

"No. It’s too big and heavy, and if I abandon it, it’ll get stolen and Otto will never forgive me. He loves this damned hunk of junk." He released her and settled back in his seat.

And damn near gave her heart failure as he drove home in record time.

Richard

Petty had nothing on this guy as he weaved in and out of traffic.

They squealed to a stop outside of Valerius’s door and Vane flashed them from the car to their bedroom. One second they were standing next to the bed; in the next, they were nak*d in it.

Bride laughed at his eagerness. "You don’t waste time, do you?"

"I don’t want you to change your mind."

"I’m not going to."

Vane kissed her deeply. He was already hard for her.

Bride ran her hand over his back, delighting in the feel of him. His skin was so warm and masculine. "Just remember, this doesn’t get you off the hook for a big Irish wedding."

He laughed at that. "Whatever it takes to make you happy."

Her smile faded as seriousness set deep in her heart. "That would definitely be you."

He kissed her again, nearly devouring her.

By the time he pulled away, she could barely breathe. "Okay," she said quietly. "What do we need to do?"

Vane rolled over onto his back and stole her breath at the way he looked there. His tanned skin was set off to perfection against the cream sheets. His hair was loose and made him look all the more alluring. "You need to press your marked palm to mine."

Bride laid her palm to his warm and callused one. Vane laced his fingers with hers.

"Now you have to take me into your body without my interference."

"That’s kind of strange, but okay."

"Not really. It was set up as a safeguard to protect our females. The Claiming can never be forced on a female. She must complete it by her own free will."

Bride sat up on her knees and carefully straddled his lean waist. She stared down at him, wondering how this would change them.

Would it change them?

How could it not?

After this they would be mated. She would belong to him and, until the day she died, he would belong to her.

Vane took her free hand into his and kissed it gently.

Her heart pounding, Bride shifted her body until he was deep inside her.

They both moaned at the sensation.

Vane ground his teeth as his hand started to heat up. It took all his willpower not to thrust against her. But this wasn’t his choice, it was hers.

"Now you have to say the following: ‘I accept you as you are, and I will always hold you close in my heart. I will walk beside you forever.’"

Bride locked gazes with him as her own palm tickled. "I accept you as you are, and I will always hold you close in my heart. I will walk beside you forever."

Vane’s eyes darkened before he repeated the vow back to her. No sooner had he spoken them than he arched his back as if he were being racked with pain.

Bride squeaked in surprise as his canine teeth grew like something out of a vampire movie.

Vane held her still while he breathed raggedly. His entire body was tense and rigid.

"It’s okay, Bride," he growled. "Don’t be afraid. It’s just our Claiming spell calling out the thirio so that we can bond our life forces together. It’ll pass in a few minutes."

"You look like you’re in pain. Is there anything I can do?"

"Just wait for it to pass," he panted.

"If we bond, will it stop?"

He nodded.

"Then bond with me."

He hissed, then locked gazes with her. "Do you understand what that is, Bride?

If I die, you die with me. Instantly. Unless you’re pregnant and then you will die as soon as our baby is born."

Her heartrate tripled. But as she stared down at him, it seemed a small price to pay. Did she want to live without him? "What the heck?" she said. "If we’re going to do this, let’s go all the way with it."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

Vane sat up under her. He cradled her to his chest and nuzzled her neck.

"After I bite you, you’ll have to bite me back in the shoulder."

Before she could respond, he sank his teeth into her.

Bride cried out, but not from pain. An unimaginable pleasure tore through her as she felt him swelling inside her. She thrust herself against him as a divine orgasm ripped her apart.

Her vision blurred as she felt her own fangs growing in her mouth.

Something seemed to possess her until she no longer felt human.

It was Wonderful. The next thing she knew, she sank her teeth into Vane’s shoulder.

Wrapped in ecstasy, they held each other as their heartbeats synchronized and the room spun around. Bride had never felt this close to another being in all her life. It really was as if they were one person, united. Physically. Spiritually. Perfectly.

Vane couldn’t breathe as he tasted her. He should never have bonded with her and yet he was so grateful that she would be with him. For the first time he understood why Anya had bonded with her mate.

He didn’t want to lose Bride. Didn’t want to even try to imagine a single day without her in it. Now he wouldn’t.

His head swam as his orgasm faded and his teeth receded. Bride pulled away and stared at him as if she were drunk.

"Is it over?" she asked.

He nodded, then kissed her. He kissed her again. "You are mine, Bride McTierney. Now and always."

She smiled.

Vane leaned her back on the bed and laid himself over her. He only wanted to feel her. His mate.

The reality of that encircled his heart and made him fly.

Bride cradled him with her entire body. He felt so good there. She ran her hand through his hair and started to laugh.

"What’s so funny?"

"I was just thinking that it’s not every woman who gets to have her very own tamed wolf."

His eyes twinkled. "I’m not sure I could call myself tame. Only you have that effect on me."

"That’s what I like most of all."

As he dipped his head down to kiss her, his phone rang. Vane pulled back with a grumble. He held his hand out and the phone flew across the room, into his grip.

Bride frowned. "I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to you doing that."

He nipped her neck playfully, then answered it.

"Hi, Aimee," he said, then paused. He looked at her and she noted the confusion in his eyes. "Thanks, I really appreciate that. Hang on a sec."

He pressed the mute. "It’s one of the bears at Sanctuary who is watching Fang.

They’re having their own Thanksgiving celebration and have decided to temporarily lift my banishment if I want to visit Fang tonight."

"Okay."

"I was wondering if you’d like to go with me and meet him. I mean, he’s not really saying anything, but"

"I’d love to meet your brother," she said, interrupting him.

He looked relieved before he returned to the phone. "Yeah, we’ll be there in a little bit. Thanks."

He hung up the phone and placed it on the nightstand.

Bride lay there quietly, trying to come to grips with what she had done.

What had happened to them this afternoon.

"Are you sure I’m not aging? I don’t feel any differently."

"You should be joined to me, but since I’ve never mated before, I don’t know what we should feel."

Bride looked at her hand. Her mark was now a vibrant red. "This is different, though. What about yours?"

"Looks like yours."

That was a good sign. "Do I have to keep drinking your blood?"

He shook his head. "Never again."

"Good. The thought of it is really gross."

Vane got up and pulled her out of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"I’m going to bathe you, Lady Wolf, so that I can take you to Sanctuary and show you off to everyone."

How she wished she were as beautiful as he thought she was. It was so nice to be with someone who looked at her with rose-colored glasses.

Vane led her into the bathroom and turned the shower on. Once he had the water regulated, he opened the curtain and let her enter first.

Bride felt a bit awkward. She’d never bathed with a man before. But as Vane started soaping her body, her awkwardness vanished in a wave of hot desire for him.

He looked really good nak*d and wet, and his hands were incredible as they slid over every inch of her body.

"You’re really talented," she said, her breath catching as he washed between her legs.

He kissed her gently as he dropped the washcloth and used his fingers to caress her.

"You’re never satisfied, are you?" Bride asked as she felt him harden again. "Not where you’re concerned." He pressed her back against the cool tile wall.

He lifted one of her legs up to wrap around his narrow waist before he slid into her.

Bride cried out in pleasure as he thrust against her. It wasn’t until she came that she realized she had wrapped both legs around his waist and that he was supporting her full weight as he continued to thrust.

His hair was wet and dripping as he captured her lips. He buried himself deep inside, then shuddered.

Bride was only vaguely aware of the water’s spray against her arms and legs as she watched Vane’s face. Her wolf was beautiful when he came for her. He held her effortlessly while his body continued to shudder.

After he finished, she set her legs down as he withdrew from her.

He took a ragged breath, then turned around to face the water.

Bride impulsively pressed her front to his nak*d back.

Vane hissed at the sensation of his Bride against him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, sliding her hands over his body. "You keep doing that and we’ll never leave this shower," he said huskily.

"Sure we will. It won’t be much fun in here if the water turns cold."

"True."

Then to his delight she left him and picked up the washcloth to bathe him.

Bride had never done anything like this. It was actually a lot of fun to soap those magnificent muscles and to help rinse his body.

"You are decadent," she breathed.

He answered that with a smile and a kiss.

After they were finished, they left the shower. Bride thought they’d have to dress, but Vane surprised her by re-dressing them in the clothes they’d worn to her parents’ house.

"How do you do that?"

Vane shrugged. "It’s like breathing. I barely think about it and poof. It’s magic."

"I wish you would warn me a bit before you do it. I’m still getting used to all this."

In order to please her he led her through the door and down the hallway to Fury’s room. Vane knocked on the door.