Page 18

VAN

“ T hese musical menaces are Damien, Rex, and Caleb,” I teased as I introduced Celeste to my bandmates after our show. “Menace-monsters, this is my extraordinary mate, Celeste.”

Caleb acknowledged her with his standard grunt, while Rex tipped his head in a silent greeting.

“Enchanté,” Celeste said in her musical accent.

“Likewise,” Damien said with a grin. “But I have to admit—if a stunning woman like you chose this fur-for-brains, I have serious questions about your taste in judgment.”

“Was it coercion?” Caleb asked with a faux serious expression. “If so, blink twice and we’ll get you out of here.”

Celeste laughed, quickly catching on to our typical band banter. “You know, questionable judgment isn’t something you outgrow—even after two centuries.”

“I think you made an excellent choice.” I winked at her and cocked a smile. “Let’s have a drink before I start swinging my tail to knock my own band overboard.”

We settled in at a table in the Nocturnal Lounge with our beverages, us with beer and her one of the vampire’s specials with a pink champagne—basically bubbly with blood.

The witches joined us soon after when Piper came after a midnight auction and Kylie after her shift at the bar in the Celestial Lounge.

That night, I carried her into the suite and onto the bed, unable to keep from kissing and touching her. Almost feral with need, we grasped at each other’s clothes, shedding them with vampire speed.

“You were so hot tonight,” Celeste murmured as she ran her hands down my bare chest. “I couldn’t wait to get you back here. Claim you as mine.”

Claim . Mine. Those words resonated with my jaguar and me as I bent her back and kissed down her soft body. “Mine,” I rumbled.

“Yess,” she purred. “Yours.”

The scent of her desire drove me almost feral. I could barely restrain myself as I wanted to devour and claim her, but I forced myself to slow down and draw out her pleasure with my mouth and hand until she shattered and cried out my name.

I slid up her body as she recovered. The sharp points of her fangs were visible between her lush red lips. Mine had already extended, but when I fixed on the smooth pale skin near her shoulder, they extended completely. An insistent thrumming beat in my veins to mark her, claim her as mine.

“Are you ready for me?” I asked as I rubbed back and forth in between her slick folds.

“Yes,” she rasped out. “I need you inside me, Van.”

I was just as desperate to sink in. As I slid the tip inside her tight flesh, a low rumble spilled from my lips. Slowly, I drove in, her exquisite tightness enveloping me in such bliss.

Mate.

Soon I was driving in and out of her, near feral with the instinct to claim her. She grasped onto me, letting out small cries as she met each thrust. Harder, faster, we were both barely on the shred of control.

“Your fangs,” she gasped out. “I’ve never seen them like that.”

I could barely mutter words to explain, but managed, “Want to mark you.”

Her eyes, dark with desire and tinged with red, gleamed brighter. “Do it.”

Dear gods, that’s all I wanted. Every instinct inside insisting I do so. But she didn’t know what that meant, and that wasn’t fair.

“No,” I murmured as I slowed down my urgent thrusts. “It’s more than just a bite,” I uttered. “It’s a claim. Marking you as my mate.”

She held up her dainty hands to the sides of my face and stared into my eyes. “I know.” She bent her head to the side, exposing more of her sweet flesh. “I’m yours, Van.” With a sigh, she added, “Always.”

Every sense inside me lit up, every inch primed with awareness. I extended my fangs as I bent down, the salty scent of her skin calling me. The moment my fangs brushed her skin, she braced herself. When I pierced her flesh, she cried out and held onto me.

Her blood—like sweet ambrosia on my tongue. I was in heaven. A blissful moonlit haven. I rocked into her harder, thrusting faster, as the magic flowed. It wound between us, connecting us, as we lost ourselves in each other’s bodies.

She clung onto me so tightly as she shattered that I thought she might have broken my bones. But it would be worth it, so worth it.

She pulsated around me, so tight, so wet, and I didn’t stand a chance of holding back. Volcanic pressure built as blood rushed through my veins, and I erupted with a fierce growl.

I lost all sense of our surroundings as I floated back to the earth in a million pieces, settling back to bliss in my mate’s arms.

We were bonded. Connected.

Mates.

The next night, Celeste and I met up with the band and their mates after our show. We were sitting at an outdoor table near the dragon pool beneath the stars.

When I spotted Maribelle walking toward us, my muscles tensed. Oh no.

“Maribelle…” I began as she reached our table, about to beg her not to hex me in front of Celeste.

“Relax, Van,” Maribelle said with a placating gesture. “Word on this ship spreads fast. Is it true?” She glanced at Celeste and then back at me with one eyebrow raised.

I put a protective arm around the back of Celeste’s chair, still wary of what the witch might do. “Maribelle, this is Celeste, my mate. Celeste, Maribelle works in the spa on board.”

Every nerve was heightened with awareness as I anticipated a flick of her wrist turning me into a neighing horse. What she did surprised me even more.

She laughed. “I never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” She motioned to my mate. “Celeste, you must be quite a remarkable woman. I’m ever so pleased to meet you.”

Celeste nodded. “The pleasure is all mine.” She gazed at me with her brows drawn tighter in question.

“I’ll explain later,” I muttered and took a sip of my beer.

“I’ll explain now,” Maribelle said with mirth in her eyes.

She pulled up a chair beside Celeste. “You see, before you came along, Van was a little reckless with people’s hearts, and so…

I decided to play a prank on him.” Maribelle sat upright and crossed her arms across her chest with a smug expression.

“What did you do?” Celeste asked.

“I hexed him!” Maribelle declared proudly. “You should have seen him bleating like a buffoon. Croaking like a frog.” She chortled and the rest of the table joined in.

I raised my glass. “Har har. Laugh it up, rocks-for-brains. It all worked out in the end.”

Celeste turned to me with a sly smile. “Did you really croak?”

“I may recall a yodel,” I admitted in a posh accent.

“That was why I was afraid to talk to you that first night. I thought I might ribbit, or worse, spout dirty limericks.” I shot Maribelle a look and then turned back to Celeste.

“That was the story I was going to tell you later, but Maribelle beat me to it.”

Maribelle bowed forward. “You’re welcome.”

“Ribbit?” Celeste let out a soft laugh. “Now that would have been quite the introduction.” She leaned closer to me and whispered, “I’d rather hear you howl.”

That was all the cue I needed. “Good night, everyone.” I squeezed Celeste’s thigh. “Ready?”

“Just let me finish my drink.” She took a dainty sip.

“I guess a mate will bring even the most stubborn shifter to his knees.” Maribelle’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “What do you think, Caleb?”

“I wouldn’t know.” He grunted. “And I won’t know,” he added in a resolute tone. He took a long sip of his beer, downing it as if wanting to avoid the conversation.

Piper and Kylie exchanged glances across from me, and I could all but read what they were communicating— Is he next?

Oh, you know what’s coming next—grumbling Caleb is going to meet his fated mate, but not in the way you’d ever expect! Read Caleb’s story in Rock of Stages .

Here’s a sneak peek: He will, He will ROCK YOU!

~ Lisa