Dark Obsession (Vampire Royals of New York #3) - Sarah Piper Page 0,46
of those outfits—one of those costumes—I took on a new identity, and I lost another piece of myself.”
Emotion welled inside her—a lifetime of regret bubbling back to the surface, no longer content to stay locked in its box. Part of her was terrified even this was another game—that she’d open her eyes and the manor would vanish around her, as if falling in love with Dorian had been nothing more than a role she’d played for someone else.
But when Charley opened her eyes again, the manor didn’t disappear. She was still here, sitting on the bed with her vampire king, who looked at her with a mix of love and admiration that brought tears to her eyes.
“I thought I’d truly lost myself, Dorian,” she said. “But you saw me—the first time you looked at me across the lobby in the Salvatore. It was in your eyes—that moment and every time you’ve looked at me since. You see me. You helped me find my way back.”
“I will always see you, Charlotte. And if you lose your footing again, I will always help you find your way back.” He took her face between her hands and drew her close, lowering his mouth to hers in a kiss that sealed his promise, warm and soft and decadent, every hot breath a reminder that this wasn’t a role or a game. It was real, it was hers, and she wanted to hold on to it forever.
But it wasn’t enough to simply want it.
The odds were stacked against them, and every day, they took another hit. Sasha’s kidnapping. The Estas and Rudy connection. The grays and the dark witches working with Dorian’s enemies. The mysterious blade of Azerius. Silas and Malcolm’s newfound bromance. The demon lord who’d marked her.
Charley pulled back from his kiss and met his gaze again, knowing she couldn’t put this off any longer.
She had to tell him what she’d been thinking about.
What she wanted.
Before she said another word, Dorian was grinning at her as if he already knew.
“And there it is,” he teased, tracing his thumb across her eyebrow. “You’re having a think about something.”
“Busted.”
“Tell me.”
She climbed into his lap and straddled him, looping her arms around his neck. “I’ve been thinking about superpowers.”
“Superpowers?”
“Yeah, like how you’ve got the whole compulsion thing going on, and the blurring, and vampire super strength.”
“Don’t forget I’m devilishly charming,” he added, leaning in to nuzzle her neck.
“Oh, and humble too!” Charley ran her hands through his hair and gave it a gentle tug, forcing him to meet her gaze again. “You know what my super power is?”
“Do you need a list, then?” Still grinning, Dorian ran his hands along her thighs and said, “All right. You’re the smartest woman I know—I think we’ve covered that already.” He kissed her forehead, his lips making her skin tingle. “You’re incredibly brave—a quality I deeply admire, even when I’m scolding you for being reckless.” Another kiss, this time on her temple, lingering just a bit longer than the last. “You drive like you’re on the racetrack, and you can crack a safe like nobody’s business—a thing I’ve only just learned about you.” His mouth grazed her ear. “You’re passionate, funny, and devastatingly beautiful.” Slowly, he kissed his way to her lips, his hot breath teasing her for just a moment before he claimed her in another kiss, deeper this time, a low moan vibrating from his chest. When he finally pulled back, his eyes were glazed. “And you do this thing with your tongue that I…” He blinked rapidly, his mouth curved in a seductive grin. “I’m sorry. What was the question?”
Charley laughed. “We were talking about my superpower, and then you got completely distracted.”
“Maybe that’s your superpower. Distracting me until I’ve melted into a useless puddle, then having your way with me.”
“Good guess, but nope.”
“What is it, then, Charlotte D’Amico? What is your superpower?”
Charley rose up on her knees and pushed him backward on the bed, pinning his hands above his head and collapsing on top of him. “I adapt.”
“Hmm.” He lifted his head just enough to bite her lower lip. “I rather like this adaptation.”
Charley let out a soft sigh of pleasure. Dorian was rock-hard beneath her, and she wanted nothing more than to give in to the ocean tide of his impossible magnetism. She wanted to kiss her way down his incredibly sculpted body, take him into her mouth, and suck him until she’d had her fill.