Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #4)(127)

He was beginning to suspect the Fore-lesser was working out his frustrations at this point. Which was such a waste of time. Van wanted to go after vampires, not play armchair quarterback at a scene like this.

Except, shit, it wasn’t like he’d had a shot at killing one of those bloodsuckers yet. Thanks to Mr. X keeping him off the field, all he’d taken out since joining the Lessening Society were other frickin’ lessers. Every day, Mr. X lined him up against another one. And every day, Van beat his opponent into submission, then stabbed the guy. And every day, Mr. X got more and more wound up. It was like Van was letting the Fore-lesser down, although with a seven and oh record, it was hard to figure out precisely how.

As gurgling sounds drifted over on the blood-scented air, Van cursed under his breath.

“Am I boring you over there?” Mr. X snapped.

“Not at all. This is really great to watch.”

There was a short silence. Then a disgusted hiss. “Don’t be such a lightweight.”

“Whatever. I’m a fighter, man. I’m not into this captive-beating shit, especially when it’s not leading to anything.”

Those flat, pale eyes burned. “Go patrol with some of the others, then. Because if I have to look at you any longer, you’re going to find yourself on this table.”

“Finally.” Van headed for the stairs.

As his combat boot hit the first step, Mr. X spat, “Your weak stomach is such a disgrace.”

“My guts aren’t the problem here, trust me.” Van kept going.



Butch stepped off the treadmill in the gym and wiped the sweat off his face with his shirt. He’d just run eleven miles. In fifty minutes. Which would be a sustained pace of about a five-minute mile. Holy…shit.

“How you feel?” V asked from the bench press.

“Like Lee f*cking Majors.”

There was a clang as nearly seven hundred pounds came to rest on the stand. “Six Million Dollar Man reference dates you, cop.”

“I grew up in the seventies. Sue me.” Butch sucked back some water, then looked to the doorway in a flash. His breath caught, and a split second later Marissa walked in.

God, she was gorgeous in black slacks and a cream jacket—businesslike yet feminine. And her pale eyes sparkled across the room.

“Thought I’d come by before I left for the night,” she said.

“Glad you did, baby.” He did the best he could to towel himself off as he went over to her, but she didn’t seem to mind him hot and sweaty. At all. Her palm cupped his chin as he bent down and said a hello against her mouth.

“You look good,” she whispered, running her hand down his neck and over his bare pecs. She traced his cross with light fingers. “Very good.”

“Do I.” He smiled as he hardened in his running shorts, remembering how an hour and a half ago he’d woken her up from the inside out. “Well, I’m not as good as you.”

“I could debate that.” He hissed as she stepped up against him.

With a growl, he ran through the layout of the training center in his mind, trying to figure out where they could disappear for ten minutes. Um…yeah, there was a classroom nearby with a good lock on the door. Perfect.

He glanced over at V, about to throw his roommate an I’ll be right back, when he was surprised to find the brother staring at the two of them, lids low, expression unreadable. Vishous looked away quickly.

“So, I have to go,” Marissa said, stepping back. “Big night.”

“You can’t stay for just a little longer? Five minutes, maybe?”

“I would love to, but…no.”

Wait a minute, he thought. There was something different about the way she was staring at him. In fact, her eyes were locked on the side of his neck and her mouth was slightly open. Then her tongue made a quick sweep of her lower lip, as if she were tasting something good. Or maybe wanting to taste something.

A bolt of mad lust shot through him.

“Baby?” he said roughly. “You need something from me?”

“Yes…” She stood up on her tiptoes and spoke into his ear. “I gave you so much when you were going through the transition that I’m a little weak. I need your vein.”

Holy shit…what he’d been waiting for all along. The chance to feed her.

Butch grabbed her around the waist, popped her feet off the floor, and carried her toward the door like the weight room was on fire.

“Not yet, Butch.” She laughed. “Put me down. You’re barely a week out.”

“No.”

“Butch, put me down.”

His body obeyed the command, even though his mind wanted to argue. “How much longer?”

“Soon.”

“I’m strong now.”

“I can wait a couple of days. And it’s better if we do.”

She kissed him and looked at her watch. The one she wore was his favorite from his collection, the Patek Philippe with the black alligator band. He loved the idea that she had it with her wherever she went.

“I’ll be at Safe Place all night,” she said. “We have a new female and two youngs arriving, and I want to be there when they check in. I’m also calling my first staff meeting. Mary’s coming and we’re going to do it together. So I probably won’t be back until dawn.”