Shades of Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #16) - Alexandra Ivy Page 0,57
didn’t argue. “Fine, then we do it together.”
Chaaya stomped her foot. It wasn’t childish. It was…demonstrative.
“I didn’t ask you to get involved in any of this,” she reminded him.
He studied her for a long moment. Was he deciding what to say? Or debating the pleasure of walking away and leaving her to stew in her own impulsive folly?
“Do you want me to tell you what Kgosi meant when he asked me if you knew?” he abruptly demanded.
The word no hovered on her lips. Now wasn’t the time for that sort of conversation. Then curiosity overcame any claim to logic, and she nodded.
“Yes.”
“He sensed you were my mate.”
Chaaya hissed, as if she’d taken a blow to her stomach. It didn’t matter that she’d sensed the emotional bonds weaving them together. Or Basq’s fierce need to protect her. Or her own need to protect him.
It was still a shock to hear the word spoken out loud.
“Mate?”
He stepped toward her. “Do I truly have to explain what the word means?”
“I know what it means, but…” Her words trailed away as another shiver raced through her.
He moved until he was close enough to lightly brush his fingers down her cheek. At the same time, he deliberately leashed in his powers to allow the air to warm above freezing.
“Yes?” he asked.
She tilted back her head, becoming lost in the striking beauty of his eyes. “How can you be sure?”
He cupped her cheek in his palm, wrapping his other arm around her waist. “Like you said. Destiny.”
Destiny…
The word had always been a curse to Chaaya. Somehow her destiny always meant pain and loss and loneliness.
It never meant being partnered with a sexy, brooding male who made her heart thump and her blood hot with hunger.
“I drive you nuts,” she muttered.
“True. But that is exactly what I need.” His voice was husky as he splayed his fingers against her lower back, urging her to arch against his hardening erection. “Otherwise I become a dull lump who wouldn’t recognize fun if it bit me on the ass.”
“Don’t.” She reached up to press her fingers against his mouth. She’d said the words, but having them thrown back in her face made her wince in regret.
He nibbled at the tips of her fingers. “You bring excitement to my very boring life.”
Chaaya snuggled closer, moving her finger until she could press it against the tip of his large fang.
“Is that a good thing?”
The white center of his eyes glowed with a sudden hunger. For blood or sex? Or both? A groan was wrenched from her throat at the vivid image of having him pumping deep inside her at the same time as those fangs were buried in the flesh of her neck. Oh, yes. She was fully on board with both.
His nose flared as he easily caught the scent of her desire. Allowing his fingers to skim down her neck, he swiftly slid her leather coat off before slipping his hands beneath the white tee.
“It took me a while to recognize it, but yes, it’s a good thing,” he assured her.
Chaaya stood still as he peeled off the undershirt to reveal her bare torso.
“Basq,” she rasped in shock. “What are you going?”
The darkness around them swirled. Was it reacting to the vampire’s intense desire?
Impossible to know for sure.
On the other hand, Chaaya didn’t have to guess if she was reacting to his touch. Her knees nearly buckled as he cupped her breasts in his hands.
“What I’ve wanted to do since you arrived in Vegas.” His thumbs swept over the tips of her nipples, teasing them to tight nubs. “Perhaps from the moment I was created.”
Chaaya arched her back, pressing hard against his thick erection. She wanted this male. No, wanted wasn’t a big enough word. She ached for this male. As if he’d ignited a fire that had been smoldering for centuries, not just a few weeks.
Maybe Basq was right. Maybe they’d been waiting for this moment from the moment they’d been created. And now the promise of an explosive orgasm clenched her gut with anticipation.
But as much as she wanted to rip off his clothes and nip and nuzzle her way from the tips of his pointy fangs to the bottom of his feet, she wasn’t going to put the male at risk. He was hers to protect.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she sent him a frustrated frown. “You have painfully awful timing, vampire.”
His fingers headed downward, skimming over her rib cage before they grasped her narrow waist.