“If you want my blood you’ll have to fight me for it.”
Tane lifted a brow. She recovered quickly. Already he could detect a color returning to her cheeks and her trembling had ceased.
Still, he knew it would take little effort to knock her flat on her back. A position that he wanted her in with a desperation that was making him hard and aching, but not until she was fully recovered.
“Sit down and finish your food.” He shrugged. “I fed before I left Hannibal.”
She grudgingly sat back down and reached for the chocolate cake.
“I hope they gave you indigestion.”
“Actually she was a tasty morsel.” He leaned forward, allowing the scent of spring rain to wrap around him. “A pity I couldn’t linger. She was eager to offer more than dinner.”
“Feel free to rush back and finish your meal and whatever else you want. Take your time.” She took a large bite of cake, a dab of icing clinging to her lower lip. “In fact, take an eternity.”
Unable to resist temptation, Tane swooped forward, licking the icing off her lip before returning to snare a kiss of pure, unrestrained desire.
He swore as hunger slammed into him with a shocking force. He hadn’t lied when he said he’d fed before entering the cabin in Hannibal, but just having this female near was enough to stir a dangerous craving.
For blood and so much more.
“I could release you, Laylah,” he whispered against her lips.
With enough force to crack a rib she shoved him away, rising to her feet with an expression of panic.
Not that he entirely blamed her.
He wasn’t sure that he shouldn’t be doing his own share of panicking.
He never let his c*ck rule his head. Not anymore.
But he was beginning to suspect that with the proper incentive this woman could make him sacrifice his own sanity to complete what he just started.
“Great, then I’ll be on my way. Don’t bother to write …”
He flowed to his feet, wrapping his arms around her slender body to prevent her escape.
“And where would you go?”
“Anywhere that’s not here.”
He cupped her chin, forcing her face up to meet his searching gaze. “Caine’s lair is now in the hands of Salvatore.”
She bit her lip, attempting to pretend that she wasn’t shaken by his words.
“You don’t know that for sure.”
He didn’t, of course. But, when he’d left Salvatore in the tunnel with his curs and the aggravating gargoyle, the King of Weres was foaming at the mouth to get his claws into Caine so he could rip out his heart.
And when a furious Were decided to rip out a heart, there were few things that could stop him.
“A cur is no match for a full-blooded Were. Especially when that Were happens to be the King. By now Caine is dead and the rest of the curs are being punished for their treachery.” His hands instinctively skimmed down her back, lingering on the tantalizing curve of her hips. “The moment you try to get near the lair you’ll be captured.”
Distracted by his acute pleasure in having her pressed so tightly against him, Tane was unprepared when she sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes darkening with horror.
Shoving out of his arms, she dropped to her knees, her hands pressed together in the universal sign of pleading.
“Please, I beg of you,” she whispered. “Let me go.”