Page 51 of Protected by the Vampire

Reaching up, I gripped the back of his neck, dragging him down into a slow and grounding kiss. When I pulled back, I smirked, still riding the edge of my orgasm. “You’re dangerous,” I murmured.

His lips twitched faintly. “You like that about me, though.”

I huffed a quiet laugh. “Fuck yeah, I do,” I said. “I’ll rally in a second and return the favor.”

Soren chuckled softly. “No need, my pet. I came from pleasuring you.”

My eyes grew wide. “No shit?”

“No shit.”

Hot damn.

I grinned. “Probably good because I don’t think I can move right now.”

He laughed again and kissed my cheek. “Rest.”

I nodded, my eyelids already drifting closed. “Just for a bit,” I murmured. When I felt him move from the bed, I opened my eyes. “Where you goin’?”

He paused near the bathroom door. “Just getting a washcloth. Sleep, pet. I’ll clean you up and join you.”

Christ, he was too good to me.

“Love you,” I whispered before sleep took me under.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Soren

Dinner at the Blackwoods’ house should have been simple. Food and conversation with smiles and laughs. Instead, I couldn’t stop watching him.

Theo sat at the long table across the room, surrounded by the humans. Razor was at his side, while Kieran and Rio sat on the other side. He looked relaxed, his shoulders loose, a faint smirk tugging at his mouth as Razor said something that had the others laughing.

If Patrick had succeeded, I would have missed out on more experiences like this that we could have had together.

“He’s fine, you know.” Riker’s amused voice cut through my thoughts.

I dragged my gaze from Theo and looked at the fox shifter leaning back against the counter like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“I didn’t say he wasn’t,” I replied.

“You didn’t have to,” Riker shot back. “You’ve been staring holes into him since we got over here.”

The shifters and I had been standing in the kitchen ever since Deacon had pulled me over to ask how Dashiel was, since he hadn’t heard from the elf. I hadn’t, either, so I couldn’t give him any news. But no doubt Dash was trying his best to win his fated mate over.

“I’d be doing the same,” Deacon said. “After what happened.”

That pulled the edge back into the moment.

Fucking Patrick.

My jaw tightened.

Across the room, Theo laughed again, unaware of the shift in our conversation or maybe aware and choosing not to show it.

Either way, he was stronger than most would be after what he had endured.

“I need your opinions,” I said finally, my voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry.