Page 17 of It's in His Bite

“Touch me,” he whispered.

I couldn’t resist the quiet command. I spread my hands along his shoulders, my nails digging into his skin with every rough slide of his dick in me. His fangs were so long, cutting into his bottom lip, but he didn’t seem to mind. His thoughts flowed through me again, an endless stream of praise and commands that blurred together the more my body tightened toward a second release.

“You’re close?” he asked.

When I nodded, he palmed my hips, fucking up into me faster than I’d dared to go. I dropped my head back, the sensations too much. He wrapped a hand in my hair and tilted my head. His fangs sank into my neck, right over the very first bite that hadn’t healed right. L

Stars exploded behind my eyes. I screamed, my knees collapsing. My weight fell on Landon, but he didn’t seem to mind, his hips moving wildly underneath me, his own groan a balm to my very soul.

It took several breathless minutes for me to realize he hadn’t actually pulled from my vein the second time. He ran his tongue over the new punctures, a low, satisfied growl rumbling through his chest.

“The only vampire allowed to mark you is me,” he whispered against the wounds. “Understand?”

I clenched around him, goose bumps flooding my skin. Slowly, I nodded.

“Only you, Landon.”

And, God, it felt like a dream to be able to say that, to be able to promise him my vein.

Chapter Twelve

Harlowe

Iawoke in Landon’s bed, draped over him like a weighted blanket. His dick dug into my belly, jumping as I slowly rolled off of him. His hands tightened around me for a moment before relaxing again. His face was beautiful like this, smoothed with sleep, the early morning sun playing across his warm skin. I settled back against him, curving into his side and resting my nose against his throat.

My phone vibrated, but I ignored it. All I wanted right now was to bask in the heady, happy feelings of knowing I was in Landon’s bed with his bites on my throat. Bites that didn’t itch.

“You keep making that noise, and I’ll think you’re awake enough for more interesting activities.” His voice was so low, so hoarse. It sent a shiver all its own down my spine.

I couldn’t help but smile into his skin. After another minute, his breathing relaxed back into the cadence of heavy sleep. My phone vibrated again. With a sigh, I crawled over to the nightstand and flipped it over. Tessa’s name flashed on the screen with an incoming call. I watched as it went to voicemail, and then a message from Rhiannon came through.

We’re on the pass! Will be there in about an hour.

A new worry clawed in the pit of my stomach, erasing the happy warmth of a moment ago. I eased out of Landon’s bed, slipping into the thin dress I’d worn most of yesterday and holding the sweater in my arms. My body ached in the best ways. I turned back to him and pressed a kiss under his ear.

“I’m going to get ready. The pass and roads are open.”

He mumbled something I couldn’t understand, reaching for me, but I kept out of his hold. No way was I risking anyone showing up while I still looked like I’d been fucked within an inch of my life. After a minute, he rolled onto his side with a heavy sigh.

The cabin was still and silent as I showered and slipped into a new dress, one with a high turtle neck that would hide most of Landon’s bites. I left my hair to air dry, running my brush through it only long enough to work through the tangles.

The nervousness was getting worse.

I pulled out the ingredients for sugar cookies, needing to keep my hands busy. Some people ran to steady their nerves, some drank alcohol. Me? I baked. I settled into the easy rhythm and tried to forget everyone that would be here in just another hour or so.

I’d finished the first dough and set it to rest in the fridge when Landon walked in. He wore the same sweater as that first day with a pair of jeans. His beard was freshly trimmed, the lines stark against his face. He came straight to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing a kiss into the crook of my shoulder. I pulled the bowl off the stand mixer and scraped the sides, giving it all one final mix before dropping it into a clean bowl to rest as well.

“Everyone is almost here,” I said. The panic was there, in my voice, making it quiver.

He tensed, ran his nose along the newest punctures he’d made. “I know.”

He pulled the bite marks between his teeth, sucking on them. I gasped, heat spooling out from my core like he’d bitten me in truth.

“Landon,” I gasped, letting my hands drop to the counter.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take away the ache.”

Baby.Where the hell had that come from? And why did I like it?