Page 74 of Awakened
His eyes gleamed with a feral light that made them flash red for a second. "Because I wanted you to bear my mark. I want everyone to know that you are mine. And you are mine Sera. No one else is ever going to touch you."
Normally she would have been irritated by his highhanded, possessive tone. She would have been enraged at the thought of anyone thinking they owned her. Instead, she found herself thrilled by it. "I mean it," his eyes flashed again as the creature within neared the surface. "If anyone touches you..."
She placed her finger over his mouth to silence him. A muscle in his jaw twitched as his eyes gleamed violently. "I am yours Liam," she whispered. "Only yours."
He closed his eyes as he fought against the vampire that wanted to break free and finish what it had started. Finally, her words sank in and helped to ease his need. "Good."
"And you're only mine, right?"
He opened his eyes. He smiled at the ferociousness in her gaze as he traced her swollen lower lip. "Yes."
She grinned as she stood on her toes to kiss him. "We had better go before they send a search party for us."
She pulled her turtleneck back up. Liam's hands clenched as he fought the urge to rip it back down so that everyone could see what was beneath it. He knew he couldn't risk Kathleen and Danielle realizing that it wasn't a hickey she bore though.
CHAPTER 15
By the time they made it downstairs, the electricity had gone out. Kathleen had already placed candles around the house, and they followed the light of them into the kitchen.
"So, what do you guys want to do?" Mike asked when they entered.
Sera glanced around. Mike, Doug, and Kathleen were sitting around the middle island and smiling knowingly at them. Jack and Danielle were sitting at the table arguing over the same crossword puzzle from earlier. "How about strip poker?" Doug suggested with a mischievous grin.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Jack said eagerly.
"Count me in," Mike said. "Girls?"
"I'll get the cards," Kathleen volunteered.
Liam's stance was rigid as he took a step closer to her. "I don't want to play," she said.
"Of course you will!" Kathleen retorted as she held a candle above the kitchen drawer she was pawing through. "It will be fun! Right Danielle?"
"Sounds good to me," she answered.
"You're playing, right Liam?" Jack asked.
"No," he replied.
"Oh, come on man, lord knows when you'll get a chance to see another girl naked."
Kathleen laughed loudly as she continued to fumble through the drawer. "Who said I wanted too?" Liam retorted.
"Ugh, you guys are sickening," Kathleen closed the drawer and held up a pack of cards. "For crying out loud Sera, you need to see more than one naked man in your lifetime."
Sera shook her head. She could feel the anger radiating off of Liam and she knew that this was not a good idea. "I don't want to strip," she said.
"Don't worry," Kathleen said as she grabbed hold of her hand. "We're going to win this game."
"No," Liam said.
"Come on, it will be fun!" Kathleen urged.
"Yeah," Mike enthused.
"I know I wouldn't mind seeing some fine female flesh!" Jack cried eagerly.
Liam was so fast that she never even saw him move until his arms were locked securely around her waist. "I said no," he said.
