Page 163 of Immortal Bastard (The Order of Vampires)

Christian breathed heavily as the needle pressed into his skin. His claws ripped into the arms of the chair when the tip punctured his flesh. Breath hissed through his fangs. She worked quickly, pressing the needle and barbell through the small hole.

She screwed on the ball and admired her work. “That’s one.”

She dragged a finger down his hard stomach and his muscles twitched. His cock lengthened. Despite the lingering pinch of pain, he liked her attention on him like this.

Leaning over him again, she sucked on his other nipple and repeated the process. When she was finished, he was rock hard, the strong musk of his arousal filling the room and triggering his mate’s. She placed the needle on the silver tray and gave his nipple a flick.

Christian’s hand shot out and gripped her wrist, yanking her onto his lap. “Now you’re mine.”

She moaned just as the bell from the front door tinkled.

“That’s my client,” she whispered, scraping a sharp claw along his chest.

The scent of her arousal filled his head, and he resented the interruption. “Pay him and send him away.”

She hopped off his lap and smoothed her dress into place. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

He caught her hand. “Be quick.”

She glanced at the bulge in his pants, pressed a kiss to his lips then rushed from the room. The moment the door opened, he realized his mistake.

“Mr. Maddox. Thanks for coming in so quickly.”

Christian sprang from the chair, sending the silver tray clattering against the wall. He bolted to the front of the store and lunged when he saw the immortal male holding his mate.

“Christian—”

His back slammed into the wall, shattering the glass displays as her scream was cut short. The immortal held her by the throat, jerking her off her feet.

“Move and I’ll snap her neck.”

Christian stilled, despite the compulsion holding him down. Delilah’s eyes watered and her legs kicked. “Let her go.”

“I think not.” He turned his face to Delilah and pressed his nose into her hair. “She’s fresh. I can always smell them right before they’re ready to be claimed, but nothing holds more of a challenge than a freshly bonded female. Yours?”

Christian seethed and bared his fangs. “I’ll kill you.”

The immortal laughed. “You’re no threat to me, boy. By my calculations, you’re still half a decade shy of three centuries old. You’re still wet behind the ears.”

Christian scowled, struggling to stand to no avail. Delilah’s panic was sapping his strength as he tried in vain to gentle her. Stay calm, pintura.

Hysteria poured from her thoughts as she struggled to breathe. Christian, what’s happening?

“You’re choking her!”

The male glanced dispassionately at Delilah, then dropped her to the floor. She gasped and coughed. Before she could run, the male fisted her hair and yanked her back. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”

She reached for a shard of glass and gasped when the male kicked it away. She fell forward to her hands and knees and he stepped on her fingers, crushing them into the shards on the floor. Delilah whimpered, and Christian struggled to break free of the forces holding him down.

“I won’t hesitate to take your fingers, girl.”

He’s reading your mind, pintura. Be careful of your thoughts. Don’t act hastily.

The male jerked Delilah to her feet, and she screamed. Christian growled and snapped, “What do you want?”

The male closed his eyes and sniffed Delilah’s throat. Christian’s claws elongated and his eyes dilated. He fought the forces that held him down, but the male was much older, his strength and control impenetrable

“I want what’s in her blood.” The studio light glinted against his long fangs, another marking of an aged immortal. Delilah whimpered, her tear-filled eyes watching Christian, and the male moved her hair to whisper in her ear, “You smell of a girl I once knew.” His jaw opened—

“No!” Christian bolted forward only to be hurled back, his body imprinting in the wall deep enough that the wooden studs broke his fall. Delilah screamed and Christian roared.

The male bit into her throat, tearing open her delicate skin and gripping her roughly as he fed. A ballistic rage took over Christian. The glass in the front windows exploded onto the street and the bulbs in the overhead lights shattered. The walls shook and furniture vibrated as he seethed with uncontainable fury.

“Get off of her!”

The male drew back, jaw open, Delilah’s blood coating his sharp fangs and tongue. His eyes rolled closed as he sighed. “There it is. I can taste her in your blood.” His eyes snapped to Christian and flashed, his pupils elongated like black diamonds. “What a curious turn of events.”

He sensed her intentions too late. No, Delilah!

She bit down on the male’s hand. The immortal roared and yanked her by the hair, hard enough to rip several strands from her scalp.

“Bitch!” The male jerked her head hard, snapping her neck and her body went limp.