step forward.
“Never give me a direct order.” His lip curled, and he bent forward like a lion about to pounce. “And never, never incite my predator by running or turning your back.”
Kyros tensed, and I used the last scrap of my reason to edge into the corner and hug my knees to my chest. My legs quivered from need, but a sob left my throat. The blood compulsion had done something to me. I didn’t want this, but I was about to forget all of that.
My gaze trawled over the bed to his body—to the V that disappeared into his low-riding sweat pants. Sweat broke out on my forehead as I resisted the urge to wrap myself around him.
Loungewear never looked so good. His usual suit had forewarned me he was muscular and toned. The reality was better. So much better.
My greedy fingers itched to run up the ridges of his abdominals, starting at the area where a small patch of hair disappeared into the waistband of his pants. Each of his arm muscles was defined, the veins just visible. By the same token, he wasn’t wrestling-man muscular. His neck wasn’t thickened. His arms didn’t have to hover away from his body to accommodate massive lats. The monster was strong and powerful but possessed an inherent grace that was more terrifying than anything else.
One moment Kyros stood by the corner of the bed, and the next he was crouching on the bed, his feet either side of mine.
My mouth rounded at the display of speed.
And that was it.
Fire consumed me.
We reached for each other at the same time. He pulled me forward as I rose to my knees. Our bodies made delicious contact and I let my head drop back from the sheer bliss of it. This was like nothing else.
Nothing else.
I gripped his shoulders as he gathered my half-dried hair and forced my head back. I arched in response to the kisses he was pressing up my neck. He growled when he reached the spot he’d bitten last night.
I licked my lips as his mouth moved along the tops of my breasts. Oh, fuck. My shaking mounted, and he purred as I gasped his name.
“Kiss me. Now,” I breathed, trying to pull his head up.
His purr morphed into a ripping snarl. Meadow-green eyes snapped to mine, blazing. A promise of death in every contour of his beautiful face, he trailed his nose up over my jaw to my temple, inhaling deeply.
“What did I just tell you, little human?” he asked in his dream-like voice.
My hands slid down his hard torso and a surge of warmth low in my stomach eradicated the terror that was trying to work its way to me.
I fluttered my lashes at him. “I wasn’t listening. You’ll have to tell me again.”
His eyes blazed anew. “Naughty girl.”
Kyros fitted his mouth over mine in a kiss that demanded more than I’d ever given. Before I could process the feel and taste of him, he was gone.
I blinked at the thin air where he’d been, the fire within me draining away and leaving me cold.
My gaze flew to the doorway.
Two vampires held Kyros against the far wall. His furious snapping filled the room, and some of my terror returned.
His fangs had descended. When did that happen?
I fell back onto my butt, huddling in the corner, hands around my knees again. It happened again. I’d lost my mind when he got too close. This time he’d kissed me. Trailed his lips over my body.
I lifted both hands, squeezing my head in a bid to erase the last few minutes of my life. The lingering lust was fucking with my head. Why did he feel and taste so damn good?
“What’s wrong with me?” I whispered.
Kyros’s ripping growls were lessening.
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” one of the massive vampires holding him back answered. “The three-day thrall after blood compulsion has this effect. Sometimes.”
He turned to the woman who’d guarded me prior to Kyros’s arrival. “Next time inform us immediately.”
She fell to her knees under the power of his wrath, which was thankfully aimed away from me. “Yes, sir.”
Next time. That was the only part I was interested in.
I had no idea who he or the other vampire were. But the one with the shaved head had given me an answer, so I braved another question.
“Will I be safe from him?” My voice trembled. “What’s to stop him coming back again before the three days are up?”
The other vampire, the one with