Seduce the Darkness (Alien Huntress #4)(64)
Author: Gena Showalter

Her brain rattled in her skull, and a shocking thought seemed to pop free. "Devyn, are you … jealous?" This was more than simply wanting her because another man found her attractive. Devyn was too desperate. Desperate in a way she’d never seen him.

"No, of course not." His hands fell from her, but his scowl remained. "I just don’t want you giving yourself to anyone else while you’re married to me. For now, you’re mine. I’ll kill anyone who touches you," he added.

Uh, hello jealousy. She wanted to grin but didn’t. He didn’t deserve to know how happy he’d just made her. "Since you’re so jealous, why have you ignored me this past week? Why have you slept in a different bed?"

"I’m not jealous, I said." Eyes narrowing, Devyn backed her up until a boulder stopped him. "I stayed away because I wanted you to know that I respect you."

"Give me a minute to work past your jealousy and figure out what you just said." She gasped as the coldness of the rock met her shoulders and thighs. "Nope. Still don’t understand. What does denying me have to do with respecting me?"

He pushed his nose into hers. "Do you know what it’s like to be locked away? To be alone, left in the dark, forgotten, the silence deafening?"

Silent, she shook her head.

"I do. As a boy I was locked away for exhibiting even the smallest hint of desire. I was told sex was dirty and shaming. For a long time, I even believed it. I got over it, but with you, I felt those old thoughts resurfacing, and I was so afraid of—"

Overcome, emotions bubbling over, Bride threw her arms around his neck and slammed her lips into his. He hadn’t left her alone because he’d stopped wanting her. He’d left her alone because he’d been afraid of shaming her. She’d show him the error of that, she thought, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. At first, he didn’t respond. Then he moaned. He smashed his weight into her body, and his tongue plundered deep, taking, giving, leaving her weak with pleasure.

"More," she said. It had been too long. Far too long. Despite the openness of their surroundings, despite any danger, waiting even a moment longer seemed silly. "Nothing you do to me is shameful, swear to God. Well, besides letting me suffer from withdrawals. You gave me a taste of you, then took it away."

He gave a hoarse chuckle. "Well, the first taste is always free. You have to pay for the rest.”

“Name your price."

"You. Just you." His hands lowered, working at the harem pants. Didn’t take much. He had them at her ankles in seconds, and ripped open his own pants. His erection sprang free. Then he was gripping her thighs, shoving them apart, anchoring them on his waist and plunging inside her. Her head fell against the cold stone, her back arching to take him even deeper.

One of his hands kneaded her breast, thrumming the nipple through the fabric of her bra. "Never deny me this again," she said. "Understand?"

He nipped at her chin and pumped into her, in and out, fast… faster … "You’re all I think about. All I want anymore."

Every forward glide took her to new heights. Every backward slide spun her mind out of control. He was touching her everywhere, even her soul. "Devyn," she moaned.

"You’re… you. You make me hot, you make me laugh, and you make me angry. You look at me with those emerald eyes, and all I want to see is happiness inside them. You confuse me, you arouse me, you make me want to be better."

"There’s no one better," she said, and hurtled over the edge, groaning, gasping, crying out his name again, holding on to him, determined never to let go.

And when she leaned up and scraped her teeth over his neck, he shuddered, and his grip tightened. She wouldn’t do it, wouldn’t take his blood and weaken him when they were within a hundred yards of the auction house. But she couldn’t help but rasp his skin, laving it with whatever chemical she produced. Just like that, he came, sinking to the hilt, propelling her over again..

"Bride. My Bride."

She tangled her hands in his hair and forced him to look at her, to see the truth in her eyes. "Yours." But for how much longer?

The shudders left him and he stilled, continuing to pant, to hold her close. "I’m not ready to let you go."

"Then don’t. We can stay here all night.”

“Hear footsteps."

That got her attention. Yelping, she jerked from him, separating their bodies. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

As she shakily righted her clothes, she blushed at the wetness between her legs.

" ‘Cause I didn’t want to." More leisurely, Devyn fastened his pants. He remained in front of her, blocking her from anyone’s view. He was grinning, back to his usual cocky self.

"McKell," he said with relish, and then he turned, clearly ready for combat.

McKell reached them. His violet gaze took in their rumpled clothes, her swollen lips and quickly rising chest. His nostrils flared. If his sense of smell was anything like hers, he scented the sex wafting from them.

"I should cut you down where you stand," the warrior told Devyn.

As he spoke, an army of vampires arrived, surrounding them. Gasping, Bride moved forward and held out her arms to shield Devyn. Without her razors, she felt naked, but that didn’t mean she was helpless. "No one moves," she commanded.

Devyn was having none of that, and shoved her behind him. She was having none of that, and moved beside him.

"Figured you’d follow," he told the vampire. His grin became all the more evil. "Glad you did."

McKell gave Devyn an evil grin of his own and moved forward, closing the distance between them. He stopped after only three steps and frowned, then scowled. "Bastard. Using your ability against me. Well, let’s see if you can use it against us all. Incapacitate him," the warrior growled to his men. "Leave him alive, though. My female needs his blood. For the moment."

The vampires, too, moved forward. They, too, froze.

"Does that answer your question?" Devyn asked smugly. Then he surprised her. Rather than strike and kill, he said, "I will let you and your men live, McKell. And in return, you will take us to your king. If you can guarantee that she won’t be punished for living on the surface. Since you planned to take her with you, I’m assuming you’ve already thought of a way to bypass the death sentence."

McKell blinked, clearly startled—and just as suspicious. "I don’t understand."

Neither did she. "Yeah, what’s going on?" Here was a man who could and did kill without hesitation or regret. A man who clearly wanted to do so now. Yet he didn’t. He was demanding to be taken underground. For her.