Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,29

or it’ll break free too easily. This is going to end in disaster if that happens.

Free me.

“I feel like you’re giving me credit for things I shouldn’t be taking credit for,” she grumbles, blushing a terribly humorous amount.

It’s almost distracting enough for me to momentarily forget the dire situation I find myself in.

Almost.

Free me.

“You wanted confessions of love, right?” I ask her, noticing how she blushes that much more.

“Stop making me feel like an idiot for that,” she says on a frustrated huff. “A simple ‘I love you’ would suffice,” she adds, clearly mortified by this point.

I do enjoy her finally understanding things a little better.

My smile slips when I realize how terrifying and humbling that all must have been for her.

Claim her.

Mark her.

Free me.

“Dorian may be my brother, and I do have sympathy for how broken he’s always been, especially since I never found the backbone back then to stick up for him. But he’s envied me for all I’ve ever had. He’s coveted each piece of me, wishing to possess it all for himself, and he’s gone out of his way to provoke me for centuries. He’ll never use you to get to me again,” I tell her very seriously.

When I have her full attention, seeing her finally listening to the words we’re saying, instead of simply plowing through for the gist, I continue.

“Idun knows that today she lost power over him, because he’ll be too terrified of me to ever push me that far again. Broken he may be, but he’s still a survivor first and foremost. He enjoys living. He enjoys being a monster. Idun’s influence will finally begin to dwindle now. Sometimes you have to break something in order to fix it. It’s just a pain in the ass to go through the motions, unless properly motivated.”

My lips finally steal hers, and I kiss her, standing with her in my arms, now that I have the strength.

Free me!

Just tasting her is replenishing me. She passed out after I finally took so much that she couldn’t hold her eyes open any longer. But she wasn’t down for long.

“You really are resilient,” I murmur against her lips. “Can you really handle an actual feeding so soon?”

Can she handle my monster? Or should I call a Van Helsing to put me down for twenty-eight years?

Claim her.

She kisses me, as though she’s eager to prove to me she can take me, and I fight the urge to grin against her lips.

I’d put Dorian down a hundred more times to have her like this.

My mind continues to slip into the fog, as I revel in the feel of having her. My Violet.

My Flame.

Once I have her firmly lying underneath me, I pin her down, enjoying how very tempting she looks when she’s vulnerable like this. It sings to the predator in me, because I want to possess every inch of her.

“You’re the only good thing to happen to me in too long to remember,” I murmur as I settle my weight on her more.

The monster breaks free and finally surfaces, and I fight to stay alert enough to try and ease Violet into this, keeping a firm grip on the reins. This could end badly if I don’t keep at least this much control.

Her breath catches as she stares up at me, and I give her a dark grin as a laugh bubbles out of me.

We’ll claim her.

We’ll claim every inch of her.

Chapter 8

VIOLET

Damien’s eyes are almost fully white, but not as white as they were that time I freed him from the Portocale curse.

Still, when he rips my clothes off, laughing the entire time, I shiver in some admitted fear.

“Don’t be scared, Violet,” he says, still laughing. “I’m only going to claim you.”

He shakes his head, the laughter cutting out, his smile falling and turning into worry.

Then his smile returns, and his eyes are a little whiter. I remain still, certain I should be as still as possible right now. I think movement would only anger his monster, and I was no match for Dorian Gray.

Damien brought Dorian to a heel too easily.

Even if he used all his power, Damien gains a lot of strength from just a little lust.

His hand closes around my throat, and he begins laughing again, eyes wild as he shoves his pants down. His shirt is still ripped from earlier, dangling at his sides, as he stares down at me with clear intent.

I’ve got his monster right now.

Whether he wants it or not, Damien’s