I was certain it was Marcus’s influence that was causing Dante to be so forthcoming. If left to his own control, I was sure Dante would have explained to me that the kings were worried I was the focal point of a very dangerous occurrence. After all, Charlotte had said something similar not an hour before, and I didn’t think Marcus would have gone murderous on her. But I knew those words had turned him bloodthirsty.
I immediately shifted in my seat and looked my lover’s way. “Marcus, he’s driving. I need for you to remember that we are high above the ground and there is a child in this vehicle. Also, while you might survive a plunge to the ground, I won’t. My body is human.”
His lips peeled back in the most feral grin. “I can bring you back, bella.”
He was going to be a handful.
Kaja suddenly had a gun in her hand. It was a sleek sonic phaser that could take off my vampire’s head. “Let my husband go.”
“Let me go?” Dante asked as he started to steer the hovercar down what looked like a less crowded corridor. “He’s not touching me.”
Oh, my honey was so much better at this than Dean. I put my hands on Marcus, praying to the goddess that touch would help connect him to me. “She’s a mother defending her family, and he’s trying to help save the outer planes. I’m asking you to let them go. You remember what Charlotte Taggart said. The convergences are following me. I would be worried about me, too.”
“I really shouldn’t have said that.” In the mirror, I could see Dante’s expression shutter. “He is in my head. I would never have been so impolitic.”
“I prefer to know exactly what I’m dealing with. I need your honesty, and now I have it. Don’t bother trying to shove me out,” Marcus said.
Maybe sweet pleading didn’t work with Marcus. I remembered how Kelsey had handled him. She hadn’t been soft. “Marcus Vorenus, if you don’t let him go now, you’re going to find out what a consort can do to a vampire, and not the fun stuff. I have access to your dick and while it will grow back, you won’t be using it for a while.”
I heard Dante release a deep breath and Marcus sat back.
“Of course,” he said as though performing a simple courtesy and not returning another male’s free will.
Dante nodded to his wife. “Hey, baby, remind me to buy a shit ton of stock in Lodge InterPlane because I’m getting those implants.”
“I do not need implants, and I’m still thinking about killing the vampire.” Kaja’s hand was steady, the gun still trained on my vampire. “We don’t need him. Cian only wants to speak to the woman.”
Dante sighed. “You see how much we have in common, Summer? I’m sorry I put it like that. I promise you my cousins aren’t known for simply killing dangerous things. After all, they met my wife when she was not as civilized as she seems now.”
“I think we can safely say Marcus influenced you,” I allowed. “I take no offense.”
“It’s really sad when I’m the reasonable one,” Dante said. “I used to be the one who caused all the problems. Old age is rough on a male. Please, Kaj.”
Kaja growled, but the gun disappeared, and she reached down to bring her sleeping daughter to her chest. “Fine, but the vampire is very rude.”
Marcus turned his gaze my way. “You wish to go down this road, bella?”
He was giving me the choice. This was the difference between Marcus and every other male I’d known. He was offering me protection and affection without making me some prize he’d won. He was allowing me to lead instead of attempting to lock me away and hoard me like gold. It went so far in crushing all those walls I’d erected over the years. I didn’t even try to hide how I felt about him in that moment. “I do.”
The sexiest smile lit his face and his hand slid over mine. “Oh, I will have you saying that to me soon enough.” He winked and then addressed our hostess, charm oozing from his pores. “Mrs. Dellacourt, please forgive my rudeness. It was only because I worry about my beautiful consort. She means everything to me and I must protect her. I know you feel this way about your husband, so I ask for your empathy. We’ve had a rough time of it today,