Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,93

not impeding the pleasant press of her breasts against his chest.

Evan slid in behind her, his knees over Niall’s, tangling all their legs. Niall stroked her hair, which had become snarled from drying wet, but he could help her work that out later. “Hope ye can sew, lass. You tore my shirt. I’ll expect you to fix that.”

“Yes, Master,” she said groggily, nestling her face in his chest. When Niall looked at Evan, the vampire merely lifted a brow, then licked the puncture wounds on her shoulder, soothing the bites.

Then he reached out, touched Niall’s face. Not sure what Evan was seeking, Niall remained still as the vampire traced his jaw over the girl’s head.

What?

Just feel, Niall. Same as her. No thoughts tonight.

Niall swallowed. He kept his eyes on Evan, the pensive gray eyes, the firm mouth that was far too attractive, that mysterious charisma that could draw a man into it like a dark abyss. He thought of Alanna, her fingers threading through Evan’s hair as he kissed her. Evan had once teased the Scot, telling him he had hair as soft and thick as a girl’s, but that was a rock tossed in a glass house. Those silken pieces that feathered over Evan’s brow and brushed his collar tempted Niall to touch, same as Alanna’s red locks. So he lifted his hand to do the same, blunt fingers sliding through the strands as Evan’s eyes stilled on him. They’d been part of each other’s lives for so long . . .

I’m sorry. For the things I said earlier. I shouldnae have said them.

Catching Niall’s wrist, Evan turned his mouth to it, scraped a fang over his palm. It didn’t make them untrue. The world is what it is. Help her sleep, neshama.

Unsatisfied, but never one to argue with simple honesty, Niall shifted to a reclining position on the bed, taking the girl with him. Surprisingly, Evan stayed. The vampire slid down on the other side of her, but it still somehow felt as if he was curled over the two of them. Protective. When his Master laid a hand on his chest, it eased the ache there. Overlapping it, his fingers brushing Alanna’s delicate jaw where she rested her head on him, Niall closed his eyes and was content.

11

ALANNA woke. For a moment, she felt an incredible ebullience, an elation like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Her body was deliciously sore, well-used, and she smelled like the men who’d possessed her. She recalled the few times she’d surfaced, staying in a half doze, but so aware of their bodies close around her, bare skin and heated muscle pressed to her flesh.

It hurt, such . . . happiness. Everything was so vivid around her. Though he wasn’t speaking in her mind right now, she could feel Evan’s mark there, her connection that said she wasn’t alone. And yet . . . what had she done?

Sitting up slowly, she saw a note on the nightstand. It was from Niall, telling her he’d given her the evening injection while she slept, so she wasn’t overdue for it. But he’d had to do it while she lay here, as lazy as she’d accused him of being.

She dressed carefully. Her hair was untangled and smooth. Niall’s doing as well, she was sure. Vaguely, she remembered the brush stroking her scalp, his hand following it.

It was perhaps an hour until dawn. Evan might already be below, but when she came into the main room, she saw him through the window, sitting at the picnic table. He must be working on the sketches he’d started earlier, when Niall threw her in the creek. As she approached, she saw what appeared to be lightning across a dark sky on the paper, but a corner of the sky was being drawn back, a blinding light coming from behind it. In that blinding light was a face. Merely a sketch, but already intriguing. She’d like to see it become a painting.

But that wasn’t very likely, was it? She rubbed at the sore spot on her arm, suppressing that unsettling place in her mind.

She didn’t see Niall, but she didn’t look for him. Instead, she went to Evan, dropped to her knees, bowed her head and waited to be acknowledged.

Niall was sitting on the log bench, repairing one of the kitchen chairs so it wouldn’t rock. He’d seen the girl come out, looking so intent and serious. Evan had warned him there might be fallout from last night, but