Page 134 of Thirst
“Of course. Now if that’s all?—?”
He waited for Brien’s nod, then walked slowly, heavily, to the crypt we’d exited from. The rusty hinges groaned as he pulled it shut behind him. Two cardinals burst into flight, wings beating in panic. They disappeared into the sky and the cemetery fell still again.
Twilight slipped the daggers from Brien’s grip. She wiped the blood on the grass, then held them out. He sheathed them without a word.
She glanced around at the rest of us. “It’s getting late. We need to leave now if we want to be back before sunrise.”
Adrian held up his phone. “Already messaged the drivers. They should be arriving just about…now.” He indicated the two black SUVs pulling up to the cemetery gate.
“Thank you,” said Twilight. “Can you help Perla?”
“Of course,” he said.
“James’s weapons,” said Brien, turning toward where the enforcer had fallen.
Talon scooped them up. “I’ll bring them back to the island.”
Brien gave a tight nod. “We’ll bury them at sea. James would’ve wanted that.” The enforcer had loved to go sailing at night.
He and Twilight, headed for gate, arms around each other.
When I urged Nyx after them, she glanced at the lair, biting her lip. “My paintings.”
“We’ll have them sent,” I told her. “But whatever else you have in there can wait. I’ll buy you whatever you need.”
She gave a small, telling shudder. “All I want is my paintings.”
Adrian had already started off, Perla in his arms. We followed, climbing into the SUV after them. Brien, Twilight and Talon took the other vehicle.
We dropped Perla outside of the city at a medic she trusted, someone who could patch her. Adrian volunteered to stay behind and escort her personally to the island. He hovered over her protectively. She seemed not to notice, but when he insisted on carrying her inside, she winked at Nyx over his shoulder.
I smothered my amusement and helped Nyx back into the SUV. She settled against my chest with a tiny sigh.
Above us, the sky had cleared, bright with stars. We’d taken two choppers from the island, concealing them outside the city. We had just enough time to make the three-hour flight home before dawn.
“Take us to the choppers,” I told the driver. “And make it fast.”
“Yes, sir,” he said and accelerated onto the highway.
The next night, it was still a few minutes before sunset when I felt Nyx’s long, artist’s fingers on my naked body—moving over my pecs, tracing my ribs, traveling down from my shoulders to my arms.
My eyelids were still glued shut, the day sleep keeping me under. But I knew it was her. The mate bond stretched between us, sparkling like she did. Not something I could see; something I felt. Heat and gravity, pulling us together.
The part of me who hadn’t belonged to anyone—that feral, affection-starved boy—drank it in.
Mine.
I opened my eyes to find Nyx astride my hips, dressed in nothing but tiny red panties and a smile, her thighs sleek and warm against me, her clean scent flooding my senses.
Her mouth curved, slow and certain.
“Yours,” she confirmed, like I’d said it aloud. “And you’re mine.”
She leaned forward, hands braced on my shoulders. Her curls tumbled forward, framing her pretty tits. “Thought I’d wake you up.”
My dick sprang up between us, instantly, painfully hard. “Anytime,” I managed, voice rough.
Her gaze searched mine, the heat giving way to something softer. “You’re really happy about being mated to me?”
