Page 97 of Bound by Vengeance
Vicky straddled his lap, her legs lockedaround his waist as she lazily rode him. The intensity of theirpassion had burned itself down to a simmer as they explored andlearned each other.
“You know what it means,” she said as sheplayed with the hair at his nape. “At least you know what it meansfor a vampire, for me. You know what Kadence is to Ronan.”
“His mate.” Nathan recalled the confusion onRonan’s face when the two of them spoke about Vicky outside ofJordan’s jail cell, and he realized Ronan had already sensedsomething more between them. So did all the others, judging bytheir reactions too.
“Yes.”
“So what does it mean for a hunter?”
“Whatever you want it to mean,” she said.“Maybe you won’t feel the pull to me—”
“All I feel is drawn to you,” he murmured ashe bent his head to nibble her lip.
“But your people,” she said, “they won’taccept me.”
“Hmm.” He ran his tongue over her mouthbefore lifting his head to look at her again. “Thisis whyyou wouldn’t have sex with me? Because you suspected what we wereto each other.”
“No,” she said and smoothed his brow when hefrowned at her. “Iknewwhat you were to me almost from thesecond I first saw you, and I knew we could never be together. Ourlives are too different. You have your people, and I am… well, I’mfar from docile and virginal. You will go your way to rule, and Iwill go my way.”
“You aremine, Victoria. No other manwill ever know this body again. I willfuckingkillhim.”
She froze against him, and he saw theglimmer of a fang as her eyes narrowed at him.
“Then that means no fiancée for you,” shesaid. “Don’t think I’ll keep my legs closed to all others whileyou’re going to bed with your wife every night. Every time youscrew her, I’ll fuck another.”
It wasn’t true, she’d never have sex withsomeone other than him, but there was no way she’d be some mistresswaiting in the shadows while he tried to have little hunter babieswith his perfect wife.
His hand entangled in her hair, and in hisgaze, she saw the possessive killer instinct of a vampire. Thestrongest hunter line seemed to be that way because they wereinherently closer to their demonic DNA. Kadence hadn’t been able tostay away from Ronan, and the look in Nathan’s eyes said hewouldn’t let her go either.
“Let’s be clear here,” he hissed. “I willrip him apart one appendage at a time.”
“And what would you do to me?” sheinquired.
“You?” Shock registered on his face. “Icouldneverhurt you, but it would tear my heart out if youwere with another.”
“That’s how I would feel if you marriedanother and started a family with her. How I would feel if youslept with another.”
Nathan brushed the hair back from her faceas he stared into her beseeching eyes. “I’ll never ask you to standby and watch me take another as a wife. The idea of even touchinganother woman repulses me. I could never marry another. But many,if not most hunters, won’t accept me with you, and Ihavetoprotect them.”
“I know. Then you’ll let me go?” sheasked.
“No.” His arms cinched around her, and hepulled her closer. Taking a deep breath, he sought to control therage her words elicited in him. “Shit.”
“Yeah, shit,” she said with a sad smile.“And now you know why I tried to resist you, but I think this wasinevitable. What we did tonight will accelerate my need to completethe bond between us, maybe not as much as it would in a malepurebred, but it will happen.”
“Then why did you give yourself to metonight?”
“Because I’d rather die knowing what it waslike to love you than die never knowing. Besides, even if we didn’thave tonight, not completing our bond would have eventuallydestroyed me anyway.”
“Were you going to tell me that?”
“No.”
“Victoria—”
“I understand your people come first; theyhave to. The hunters are important in this battle; without you,they have no one to guide them and push them into this alliance.They may be too stubborn to see it, but they need youandvampires. I’d love to be selfish and keep you, but I’ve alwaysknown I couldn’t. It’s okay. Sometimes fate hands out things thatcan’t be conquered. We got tonight at least.” She brushed the hairback from his face and kissed him.
“I’m not going to lose you.”
