Page 62 of Crossing Between

The gentle crackle of burning wood filled Varon's library as I sat curled in his lap, my head resting against his chest. Outside, rain pattered against the windows, creating a soothing rhythm that matched the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear.

We hadn't spoken much since the guys left, both of us content to exist in the silence that had settled over the house.

Elias and Kenji had been summoned to an emergency meeting with the Supernatural Council hours ago, leaving Varon and me alone.

I'd expected him to leave too, but he'd simply stated he was staying, his tone brooking no argument.

Not that I would have protested. The thought of being alone after that nightmare made my stomach clench with anxiety.

Kenji had joked it had to be nice being stronger than anyone on the council.

The library was my favorite room in Varon's sprawling home, the walls lined with books that smelled of leather and that book smell, plush furniture in rich burgundies and deep blues, and the massive stone fireplace that now bathed us in golden light.

The fire danced and swayed, casting our shadows in a dance against the walls.

I shifted slightly in Varon's lap, causing his arms to tighten instinctively around my waist. My body still ached pleasantly from our night together after my nightmare, a reminder that amid all the chaos and horror, there were still moments of connection.

Of pleasure. Of something that felt dangerously close to hope.

"You're thinking too loudly." Varon's lips brushed against my temple.

I smiled despite myself. "Sorry. It's a bad habit."

"Don't apologize." His hand stroked lazily up and down my spine. "I'm just worried about you."

"Fair enough. I'm worried about me, too." I traced my finger along the embroidered pattern of his shirt. "Do you think my brother is really gone? Or was that just the Essencefeaster messing with my head?"

Varon was quiet for so long, I thought he might not answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was uncommonly gentle. "I don't know, little one. But I promise you this. We will find out, and whatever can be done, we will do it."

The simple certainty in his words made my throat tighten with emotion. I burrowed deeper into his embrace, breathing in his scent that, like the other two men, instantly helped me relax and feel safe.

"Zoey." The way he said my name made me look up. His expression was uncharacteristically vulnerable, grey eyes holding mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "There's something I need to tell you."

My heart skipped a beat. "That sounds ominous."

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "No, not ominous. Just difficult for me." He shifted me slightly so we were facing each other more directly, his hands resting on my hips. "I have been alone for a very long time."

The weight behind those words struck me. Time meant something different to vampires, especially one as old as Varon. When he said "a very long time," he wasn't talking about years or even decades.

"As a vampire elder," he continued, "I don't have the luxury to trust easily.

Trust is a liability in my world; it makes you vulnerable, exploitable.

" His jaw tightened. "And my inner monster, well, it's always been there, just beneath the surface, restless and ready to break free.

It made it nearly impossible to interact with others, especially humans. Strangers."

I nodded, remembering the few times I'd glimpsed that part of him, the predator lurking behind his carefully controlled exterior. The part that could drain a person dry without remorse.

"When I first scented you," his voice dropped lower, "something happened that I've never experienced before." His fingers tightened on my hips. "My monster, it relaxed. For the first time in centuries, it wasn't fighting to get out. It recognized you and just settled."

My eyes widened. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I haven't been able to explain it. But I knew then that you were important. Special." His gaze dropped momentarily. "I loved you just for that at first, for the peace you brought to the war inside me."

My heart hammered against my ribs. He'd never used that word before. Love. I'd felt it through our bond, that complex tangle of desire, protectiveness, and something deeper, but hearing it spoken aloud made it real in a way it hadn't been before.

"And now?" My voice felt like a shout within the library, even though it was barely there.

Varon's hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of my lower lip.

"Now it has grown into something I can barely contain.

Something that terrifies me because I have so much to lose.

" His eyes held mine, vulnerable and fierce all at once.

"I love you, Zoey. Not just for what you do to my monster, but for your bravery, your compassion, your stubborn refusal to give up even when you should, and even for how clumsy you are. "

The words unlocked something in my chest, a floodgate of emotion I'd been holding back.

Without thinking, I surged forward, capturing his mouth with mine.

The kiss was desperate, hungry, a physical manifestation of the feelings I couldn't yet put into words.

My fingers tangled in his dark hair, pulling him closer as his arms encircled my waist.

Varon growled against my lips, the sound vibrating through where our bodies connected. His tongue sought entrance, demanding and insistent, and I yielded without hesitation. The kiss deepened, became something primal and consuming that made my head spin and my body ache with need.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing heavily. Varon's eyes had darkened, the grey irises now ringed with crimson, a sign of his vampire nature pushing to the surface. His hands gripped my hips hard enough to leave marks, holding me still against the growing hardness beneath me.

"Varon," I gasped as his mouth descended to my neck, teeth grazing the sensitive skin there. "Please!"

In one fluid motion, he lifted me and laid me down on the plush rug before the fireplace, his body covering mine.

The heat of the flames warmed one side of my body while Varon's cooler temperature balanced it from above.

He braced himself on his forearms, staring down at me with that predatory intensity that made my insides liquify.

"Tell me what you want," he commanded, his voice a rough whisper against my skin.

"You," I breathed, arching up against him. "All of you. Don't hold back."

A dangerous smile curved his lips. "Be careful what you wish for, little one."

His mouth crashed down on mine again as his hands made quick work of my clothes, buttons popping and fabric tearing in his haste.

I was just as frantic, tugging at his shirt until it parted down the middle, revealing the sculpted planes of his chest. My nails raked down his skin, leaving red trails that healed almost as quickly as they appeared.

"Fuck," he hissed as my hand found him through his pants, squeezing his impressive length. "You drive me insane."

Within moments, we were both naked, the firelight casting a golden glow across our skin.

Varon's body was a work of art, all lean muscle and sinew, marred only by the faint traces of scars so ancient they'd survived even his vampire healing.

I traced one that curved around his ribs, wondering about the story behind it.

He caught my hand, bringing it to his lips. "Later," he promised, reading the question in my eyes. "Right now, I need you."

His mouth descended to my breasts, teeth grazing the sensitive peaks before sucking one into his mouth. I gasped, back arching as pleasure shot through me. One of his hands slid between my legs, finding me already slick and ready for him.

"So wet," he murmured against my skin. "All for me?"

"Yes," I breathed as he slipped two fingers inside me, curling them to hit that spot that made my vision blur. "Oh gods, Varon!"

He worked me with expert precision, his thumb circling my clit as his fingers thrust in and out. I writhed beneath him, helpless against the pleasure building inside me .

"Please," I begged, clawing at his shoulders. "I need you inside me."

Varon smirked against my lips. "Not yet. I want to taste you first."

He slithered down my body, leaving a trail of bites and kisses in his wake. When he reached my pussy, he looked up at me, eyes glowing crimson in the firelight. Without breaking eye contact, he lowered his mouth to it, his tongue making one long, devastating swipe.

"Fuck!" I cried out, my hands flying to his hair to hold him in place.

He devoured me like a man starved, his tongue delving deep before circling my clit with maddening precision.

When he sucked my clit between his lips, I nearly came off the floor, a string of curses falling from my lips.

Two fingers thrust back inside me, curling to hit that perfect spot, and I shattered, my orgasm crashing through me in waves that left me trembling and incoherent.

Before I could recover, Varon was positioning himself at my entrance, the blunt head of his cock pressing insistently. "Look at me," he commanded again, and I forced my eyes open to meet his gaze. "I want to see your face when I fill you."

With one powerful thrust, he buried himself to the hilt, stretching me. I cried out, my nails digging into his shoulders hard enough to draw blood. The scent of it, rich and metallic, filled the air between us, and I saw Varon's nostrils flare, his eyes blazing brighter.

"Move," I gasped, wrapping my legs around his waist. "Please, I need you."

He pulled back and slammed forward again with a force that stole my breath. His rhythm was relentless, each thrust driving me further up the rug until he had to grip my hips to hold me in place. The sound of skin slapping against skin mingled with our ragged breathing and the crackle of the fire.