Page 39

T he 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 would growl, 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 hair while 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.

A crack of lightning split the air.

“My turn.” Ryker’s voice was pure storm. One moment I was wrapped in Zane’s arms, the next I was being pulled into Ryker’s. His scent made my fangs throb painfully.

“Ryker—” Whatever I was going to say dissolved into a gasp as his mouth claimed mine.

Where Archer’s kiss had been summer-sweet and Zane’s had been commanding, Ryker kissed like a gathering storm. His tongue swept into my mouth, tasting, teasing, building tension with each stroke until I felt like I might combust. Electricity danced between us, making every touch spark and sizzle.

“Been wanting to do this for weeks,” he murmured against my lips. His hands slid down to my hips, pulling me closer. “Thinking about you during breakfast, during meetings…” Another devastating kiss. “Do you have any idea what you do to us, little bat?”

I could guess, given how their combined scents were making me dizzy with need. “Show me?”

His eyes flashed dangerously. “Careful what you ask for.” His lips traced down my throat, making me shiver. “Your choice, sweetheart. My blood or my kiss?”

“Both,” I breathed, beyond caring how needy I sounded. “Please, Ryker…”

His groan vibrated against my skin. “You’re going to be the death of us.” But he tilted his head, offering his throat.

I struck before I could overthink it, fangs sinking into his perfect skin.

His blood… oh, my fangs practically throbbed in response.

Where Archer’s had tasted like summer, Ryker’s exploded across my tongue like a thunderstorm—sharp lightning and wild wind and pure, crackling power.

I could taste his control, his desire, the way he’d been holding back for weeks.

His arms tightened almost painfully as he swore. “Luca, fuck?—”

Zane’s scent wrapped around us, heavy with alpha power. “Easy, brother.”

“Kind of hard to be easy”—Archer’s voice held wicked amusement—“when our little bat is being so… enthusiastic.”

I should probably be embarrassed by the desperate sounds I was making as I drank from Ryker. But his blood was addictive, and the way he shuddered against me, the electricity dancing between us…

With visible effort, Ryker tore himself away, though it clearly cost him. He immediately claimed my mouth again, both of us groaning at the taste of his blood on my tongue. When he finally released me, I swayed slightly, feeling thoroughly ravished.

Three pairs of eyes watched me with burning intensity—steel gray, molten silver, and storm blue.

I must have looked completely wanton, lips swollen from kisses, clothes disheveled, skin flushed with desire.

Their gazes darkened as they took in my state, and their combined scents wrapped around me like physical touches, making me feel drunk and desperate and completely, utterly claimed.

Before I could catch my breath, Zane was there again, pulling me back into his arms. My legs wrapped around his waist instinctively as he pressed me against the car, the silk of my shirt riding up. The hard length of him against my core made everything inside me tighten with want.

“My turn again, little bat,” he growled, claiming my mouth in a kiss that was pure alpha possession. I remembered how his blood had tasted that first morning in the garden—ancient power and pure authority wrapped in darkness. The memory alone made me whimper against his lips.

“Please,” I breathed when he finally let me come up for air. “Zane, I want?—”

“I know what you want, sweetheart.” His voice was rough with desire as he tilted his head, offering his throat. “Take it.”

I didn’t hesitate. My fangs sank into his skin, and that taste—oh, if vampire heaven existed, this was definitely it.

It was even better than I remembered. Pure midnight and starlight exploded across my tongue, darker and more potent than before.

I could taste his need, his possession, the way he’d been holding back these past weeks.

Zane’s hands tightened on my hips as he groaned, pressing me harder against the car. The position was deliciously intimate, making it impossible to ignore how much he wanted me. Each pull of his blood made him shudder, his control visibly fraying.

“Enough,” he finally growled, though it clearly pained him to say it. “We need to stop, little bat.”

I made a sound of protest, trying to chase his lips as he pulled back.

But something in me—some deep vampire instinct I didn’t quite understand—knew he was right.

As much as I wanted more—so much more—I wasn’t ready.

My powers hadn’t fully manifested, and somehow I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the full force of three alpha males claiming me.

“Not yet,” Zane murmured, pressing his forehead to mine. His eyes had gone completely silver, pupils blown wide with barely contained desire. “Soon, but not yet.”