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“Please?” I didn’t recognize my own voice, soft and wanting. “I’ve missed you. All of you. So much.”

Archer’s arms tightened possessively. “Good choice, little bat.” His lips found that sensitive spot below my ear. “Such a good choice.”

The car accelerated smoothly as Ryker took a different turn, electricity dancing across the dashboard. Zane made another sound, half growl, half groan, his knuckles white on the armrest.

“The things you do to us, little bat,” Archer murmured against my skin. “Two weeks of trying to stay away, and all it takes is one bite, one kiss…”

My fangs ached at the memory of his blood, at the promise of more. “Whose fault was that? You’re the ones who disappeared.”

“Never again,” Ryker’s voice was storm-rough. “We’re done fighting this.”

Zane remained silent, but his scent… oh, his scent told me everything his alpha control wouldn’t let him say. Yet.

Chapter 15

The coastal road wound higher, each turn revealing more of New Vale’s glittering skyline. Not that I was paying much attention to the view—not with Archer pressing soft, devastating kisses along my jaw, his arms wrapped around me like he was afraid I’d vanish if he let go. Which, given my floating tendencies lately, wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

“You’re thinking too loud again,” he murmured against my skin.

“Someone has to,” I managed, though it was getting harder to string words together. Especially when Zane kept turning to look at me with those molten silver eyes, his scent growing darker with each glance. Even Ryker’s constant flicks to the rearview mirror felt like physical touches.

The tension in the car was electric—literally, given how Ryker’s power kept making the dashboard spark. From Luca Valentine’s memories and all those supernatural guidebooks I’d been devouring lately, I knew pack bonds allowed alphas to communicate mentally, especially in a triad as powerful as my brothers. And right now? They were definitely having some heated discussion about me through that bond. Zane wouldgrowl, Archer would smirk, Ryker’s lightning would crackle. The silent argument was so obvious I could practically imagine it.

Zane:This is inappropriate.

Archer:He chose this.

Ryker:We’ve tried staying away. It didn’t work.

Not that I could actually hear them, of course. Pack bonds were for pack leaders only, not baby vampires who couldn’t even control their floating. But the way Zane’s midnight-starlight scent darkened with each glance, how Archer’s arms tightened possessively around me, the constant crackle of Ryker’s power… their silent conversation was pretty clear.

And honestly? After two weeks of them avoiding me, I kind of enjoyed being the cause of their discord.

“Almost there, little bat.” Archer’s voice held wicked promise. “Try not to float away before then.”

“I make no promises about—oh!”

The car pulled onto a secluded overlook, and I barely registered the stunning coastal view before Zane was moving. One moment I was safely tucked against Archer, the next I was being lifted out of the car by strong hands. My coat fell off me as Zane practically stalked to the front of the car, setting me on the still-warm hood like I weighed nothing.

My poor vampire heart nearly stopped. The way he looked at me, steel eyes blazing silver in the moonlight… I watched, mesmerized, as he yanked his tie loose and undid the top buttons of his shirt.

“My turn,” he growled, and then his mouth was on mine.

Where Archer’s kiss had been fire, Zane’s was pure lightning. He kissed like he did everything else—with absolute authority and devastating precision. His tongue swept into my mouth, claiming, conquering, making me melt against him with embarrassingly needy sounds. One hand tangled in my hairwhile the other branded my waist, pulling me closer until I could feel the heat of him through the thin silk of my shirt.

Somewhere behind us, Archer chuckled. “Careful there, big brother. Look, Luca is making the car float.”

Wait, what?

I pulled back from Zane’s devastating kiss to check—because with my track record of accidental floating, anything was possible. But no, the sports car remained firmly on the ground. Classic Archer, trying to interrupt his brother’s moment with ridiculous claims. Though given how Zane’s kiss had made my head spin, floating cars didn’t seem entirely impossible.

“Focus on me,” Zane commanded, tilting my chin back to him. His eyes had gone completely silver, pupils blown wide with desire. “Not on Archer being… Archer.” His mouth reclaimed mine, swallowing whatever protest I’d been about to make. Not that I could remember what it was, not when he was kissing me like this, his scent filling my lungs until I felt drunk on it. My fangs ached, remembering how his blood had tasted that morning in the garden—pure midnight and starlight, ancient power and authority. The memory alone made me want more, made me wonder if it would taste even better now, mixed with desire and need.

“Patience, little bat,” he murmured against my lips, clearly reading my intention. “First, I’m going to kiss you until you forget about our annoying brother. Then, if you’re very good…” His voice dropped to a register that made everything inside me tighten. “Maybe I’ll let you bite me.”

“I heard that ‘annoying’ comment,” Archer called out, but his voice sounded distant through the haze of Zane’s kiss. Everything felt distant except the press of Zane’s mouth, the midnight-starlight scent filling my lungs, the way his hands branded my skin through silk.

“Good,” Zane growled against my lips. His kiss turned deeper, hungrier, like he was trying to devour every trace of Archer’s blood from my mouth. The possessive display should have bothered me. Instead, it made heat pool low in my stomach.