Bad Mouth(31)

He pinned a suspicious gaze on her. “Is this going to be difficult? I don’t want you doing it if it’s too risky for you.”

“No, it should be simple. I have access and no one will think twice. Plus it makes sense to test it again. The results were too unbelievable.”

Kade stood and addressed his team. “You f*ckers have work to do tonight. Make Daddy proud.”

Luc and Guns flipped him off and headed to the door. Ezra clapped Kade on the back, but only smiled and followed the humans. Killian and Declan both nodded to their prince.

“Have we ever not made you proud?” Declan asked.

Kade smirked. “Well, there was that one night that chick in the catsuit—”

“I remember, f*ck you very much.” The dark-haired Tracker never changed his brooding manner, even as he seemed to be joking. He kind of reminded her of Grumpy. With that, the pair left Kade and Val to themselves.

Kade smiled as if he couldn’t stop. She shoved gently at his chest. “Don’t look so happy with yourself.”

He only laughed and dialed his phone. She hit the end button before the call could go through.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t know. Just…hold on.” She wrapped her arms around herself and considered him uncertainly. He’d stilled, his expression somber as he waited with endless patience. It was hard to look in his eyes. When she did, a crest of emotion rocked through her. She couldn’t let him call, couldn’t bear the thought of him holding some strange woman in his arms.

“I want you to use my blood. I’m O positive.”

His smiled disappeared. “Val, I’m not only making a sample. I haven’t fed since my last transformation nearly a week ago. I need to feed.”

“Why haven’t you?”

He looked away and gave a humorless laugh. “Because I was with you.” His gaze returned to hers. “Because I didn’t want my lips on another woman.”

“I don’t want that either.” Her heart pounded at what she was about to do. “I want them on me.”





Chapter Twenty-two


Indecision skipped across Kade’s face. “I don’t know if—”

“What’s wrong? Is it dangerous?” She’d never heard of humans dying after a feeding, other than illegal bloodings caused by derangements. “Will it hurt much?”

“It won’t hurt at all. But I’ll see—”

“Kade, everything I’ve been these past few days is the extent of who I am. No more, no less. I’m not perfect, but I have nothing to hide. You have nothing to be afraid of, not from me.”

He nodded slowly. “All right. Okay.”

“Do you really not want to?” Disappointment pressed down on her shoulders.

“Oh, baby, I want to. Fuck do I want to.” His chin tilted down. “I was just…”

She rubbed her palms over his chest. “I’m nervous, too. I’ve never—you know.”

He murmured really low at her ear. “A virgin. How sweet.” She tried in vain to ignore his warm breath fanning along her throat.

“How will we collect the sample?” She’d almost forgotten the whole reason for the feeding in the first place.

“I have syringes.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And why would you have those?”

“Hunting Slavers requires tranquilizers for the bystanders. Notice I didn’t say innocent. An outright killing spree would draw too much attention, and the last thing we need are the Ancients finding out about these humans.” He took her hand. “Come with me.”

He led her past the bathroom to a room at the end of the hallway. So this was his bedroom. It was very spacious, about half as large as the open living area. The decor continued the same clean, uncluttered aura, but the tones were warmer with wide, dark cherry dressers and a heavy headboard standing over his massive bed. As in the living area, one wall was a window overlooking the Sound.

“I can’t believe I f*cked you, in a car no less, and never made it to a bedroom,” he said. She managed an exasperated huff. He watched her study the room for a moment before he headed toward a closet. When he disappeared into it, she followed him.

“You have a walk-in closet? You never wear anything but T-shirts and jeans,” she said as she entered. She stopped short, her eyes wide. A few suits hung near the front and several pairs of shoes sat in an organizer near the floor, but the rest of the closet was outfitted like an armory. Blades, rifles, shotguns, pistols, crossbows, and other unidentifiable armament covered the walls. He checked a couple of drawers before he found the syringes. Turning toward her, he froze and then laughed.

“You’re so f*cking cute,” he said.

“What?” She couldn’t take her eyes off the arsenal.

“It’s pest control, my sweet.” He nudged her backward with his body and nuzzled her throat. “Don’t you have some other firepower you’d rather ogle?”

Her belly flipped at the brush of his lips over her sensitive skin. Oh yes, she certainly did have better things to ogle. He lifted her feet on top of his. She let him walk her backward to the bed as she worked his shirt up and over his head. The tingle of desire racing from between her legs made her thighs quiver.

“I missed you,” he mumbled against her temple. He rained kisses all over her face and down her neck. He went lower, stripping her shirt away as he went. “I didn’t know what I’d do if you didn’t understand, if you didn’t forgive me.” He was talking against her breast. When she giggled, he started to draw back, but she wrapped her arm around his head.

“Don’t stop.”

He tossed the syringe on the nightstand, guided her flat onto the bed, and tugged her slacks down without leaving her breasts. The scrape of his teeth over her nipple was like a live wire. Her legs folded over the back of his thighs, tugging him closer on top of her. She struggled with his jeans until he sat back and jerked at the button, which flew across the room.

He pushed his jeans and briefs down his strong, lanky legs. She wet her lips as she watched. He was incredibly sexy naked. Kade had the form of a Greek god. Of course, he’d had centuries to sculpt the perfect body.

His hand went to his long, thick shaft and stroked it. “I love the way you’re looking at me.”

Her cheeks grew hot, partly with embarrassment but mostly with brazen need. His bold sexuality surpassed her real-life experiences with men, as if those men had been merely a few diluted warm-ups.

He lowered his body between her legs, and his voice softened. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes. Be careful with me.”

“Always.” He cupped her chin. “I won’t hurt you, Val.” He tipped her head slightly, the red glow of his eyes brighter as he fixed on the pulse of her throat. His breathing grew heavier. “Goddamn, I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited in my life. I could bust right now.”

His tongue laved her throat, and he groaned. She didn’t feel his fangs when they bit into her, only his lips against her skin. A blast of pleasure rippled over her. Arousal seared her veins, its fire exploding along every nerve. The intensity turned her feral. She cried out and thrust her hips against him rhythmically. Her fingernails dug into his back.

“Please! Oh please, Kade,” she cried. She’d gone completely out of her mind and into a world of animal sensation. If he didn’t do something now, she would burn to death.

The suction at her neck strummed her core as if his fingers flicked her there. Her breath rasped in and out. She was going to climax, and he wasn’t even inside of her. He growled against her throat. Without warning, he ripped her panties away and then he was in her, meeting her thrusts with his own powerful strokes.

His breath caressed her throat as he sucked from her and rocked his hips against hers. She dug her fingers into the tight, straining back muscles rippling as he surged over her. Her heels pressed into his hard thighs, urging him on faster. Something wildly explosive built higher until she ached all over with its sweetness. When his fangs withdrew, spikes of ecstasy zigzagged like a pinball driving her to her peak.

“Kade!” she screamed. At the sound of her pleasure, his body tensed against her, and he came with a satisfied roar. He collapsed next to her on the bed, his arms around her, and his leg tucked between hers. His palm rested over the trim patch of pale hair between her legs.

“Mine,” he whispered at her ear.

She turned her head and caught his lips with hers. “Mine,” she said.

His eyes flashed bright with pleasure. “You feel okay?”

“I feel amazing.” She thought about it. “Well, a little tired.”

He frowned. “It’s normal, but I don’t like making you weak. You should have let me use my service.”

“No.” As in no way in hell.