Page 30 of Kentucky Nights (Dead Man’s Ranch #1)

I open my eyes to the faintest amount of stars still clinging to the light purple of the sky as the sun creeps above the trees. The sun never lasts too long here. Eventually, the clouds will roll to cover us. That’s what I love so much about lying here at night, staring up into the stars.

The clouds always part in order for me to enjoy the galaxy. Every now and then, a shooting star will pierce the darkness, and I make a wish. I used to wish for death, but with my mate next to me, her head on my chest, she deserves a lot more than a man who is waiting to die.

She’s too full of life not to live an existence full of excitement. I vow to give her the best eternity she could ever wish upon a star for.

“You’re awake,” she mumbles against my chest, still sleepy and adorable.

“It’s early, Darlin’. Go back to sleep. I’ll make us some coffee, and we can shower to get ready for the day.”

She grumbles, burying her face in the pillow. “Too early. It’s still dark.” She peeks one eye open at the ceiling. “It’s still dark-ish.”

I chuckle, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. “Go back to sleep. There’s no reason for you to get up. Rest. I have to get started with the chores.”

She opens one eye again, that hazel eye riddled with the need to sleep. “Chores? So early?”

“Every day.” I tug one of her curls before dragging my finger down the side of her cheek. “You deserve to stay in bed all day. You should never have to lift a finger. I’ll do all the liftin’.”

A sleepy smile spreads across her face. “You’re making ranch living sound really good. If you don’t stop, you’ll never get rid of me.”

I become serious, emotion lodging in my throat. “Good. Getting rid of you is out of the question. Don’t even think like that.”

And I’ve tasted her blood. I don’t know if she knows that means it takes us even closer to being a mated pair, for all eternity. A part of me doesn’t want her to know. I’m too afraid she will run away.

I remember talking to Lorcan about fated mates years ago, and he kept trying to convince me not to look forward to death so much. But I couldn’t help yearning for death when life hadn’t been kind to me.

Truly, I thought if I ever met my fated mate, she wouldn’t be enough to convince me to live. My mind was made up. If I could have walked into the sun ages ago to turn to ash, I would have.

Now, Dru is here.

And life doesn’t seem so cruel anymore. Don’t get me wrong, when the dark thoughts grip me, I spiral. There is a part of me that thinks death would be better for both of us than to be cursed to outlive a planet.

Then, I stare at the beauty who is lying in my bed. She’s so selfless and caring, and I know that there isn’t anyone else I would want to search the night sky with.

Life doesn’t seem like a burden anymore.

The real question is if Dru will feel the same.

She yawns, staring up at me with sleepy eyes. “What do you do so early?”

“Well, I have to feed everyone. I need to check the fence line to make sure nothing needs fixin’. There’s fresh hay, and I need to put new shoes on Romeo.”

“Shoes? He wears shoes?”

She’s so cute when she’s confused.

“Horseshoes.”

“Ohhhh.” It dawns on her. “And you have to do all that today? By yourself? Why don’t you have any ranch hands?”

I bend down, kissing her bare shoulder. “Because being alone was easier. I didn’t have to worry about people if I died.”

The sleep hanging on to her disappears, and she sits up, her eyes round as the moon. “You really wanted to die?”

A spike of annoyance has me clenching my teeth together. “I see Lorcan is telling business that ain’t his to tell.”

“He was only trying to help me yesterday when you were unconscious. Don’t be mad at him. He helped me.”

“My feelings about life are complicated, but with you here, it isn’t so bad at all. Go back to sleep, Darlin’. You don’t deserve to be up before the birds.” I kiss her forehead, and the moment my lips touch her skin, the same fever that broke me last night begins to sizzle within my veins.

I growl, closing my eyes to fight the urges. Now that I know what her blood tastes like, my fangs ache to sink into her neck. I want to claim her to ease this ache inside my bones, my teeth, my skin. There isn’t a spot on my body that doesn’t hurt from needing to be bonded to her.

Only a few more days before the truth can be set free, and she can decide what she wants out of this life.

“You’re sure you don’t need help? I can learn. I want to learn. Lorcan got me so many clothes, and now I have boots!”

“Darlin’—” I eye said boots across the room. “They’re pink. With sparkles. I’m not sure if he got you the right kind of boot.”

She sticks out her bottom lip. “I like them though.”

Unable to help myself, I tug her lip with my thumb, growling as I imagine her mouth around my cock. Hmmmm, I bet she would feel so fucking good.

“Well, if you like’em, then I suppose that’s all that matters. Ain’t that right?” I grip her chin between my index finger and thumb, drunk on the thought of these lips wrapping around me. I haven’t been able to think about anything else.

“Your eyes are red, Cowboy.” The stale air is replaced with the sweet and spicy scent of her arousal. “Is there something you’re wanting before you start your busy day?” She sits up, allowing the blanket to fall from her body.

I’m fixated on her. Up and down, I take her in.

I can’t believe this woman is mine.

Her finger glides down my chest. If it were possible, flames would dance in the path of her touch. She swirls her fingertip, teasing me as she gets lower, only to deviate when she gets right where I want her to be.

A low growl reverberates in the chamber of my throat when she traces the dip in my hips.

“Or are you wanting to go about your morning while I go back to sleep?” She bats her eyelashes as she toys with me.

I find myself loving to be the object she plays with.

“No, ma’am. I think—” In a blur, I have her pressed against the shower wall and blast the warm water.

She gasps, surprised by the change of location.

I love that look. I’ll have to make sure I take her by surprise more often.

“—I have exactly what I want right here.” I dip my hand between her legs, my fingers pinching the tampon string.

“Wait. Let me use the restroom.”

“I don’t think so. Hold it. It will make your orgasm more intense.”

“Kentucky. I can’t. I don’t think I can do that.” She tilts her head back when my thumb presses against her clit.

“I think you can, and you will. Want to know why?” I lick the water from her lips, my tongue dragging down her neck where her vein is. Every instinct is pushing me to bite.

I can’t.

I groan the words internally, fighting every instinct.

“You can,” she whispers approval. “Bite me. I want you to.”

I scrape my fangs down her neck, pressing a single kiss to her jugular. “One day, but not right now, Beloved.” I let the word slip. Lorcan told me it is a special term vampires use for their fated mates.

Beloved.

I can’t believe I have one.

“But it can be today. You can bite me, Kentucky. I want it. I want you.”

“I want you too,” I growl, clamping onto her collarbone with very light pressure.

The skin won’t break, no matter how badly I want it to.

“You have no idea how deep the craving for you goes.” I fall to my knees, my hard, solid cock slapping against my stomach, and precome dribbles down my shaft.

“Is this where you want me, Darlin’? On my knees for you. I’ll do it every morning and night.”

She runs her hand through my wet hair. “You do look good on your knees for me. It is a sight I could get used to.”

“Well, I haven’t ever been the praying type, but I’ll pray to you.” I lift her leg onto my shoulder, place my hands together, and peer up through wet lashes. “Bless this food for which I’m about to eat,” I snarl. “Amen.”

“Kentucky!” she giggles my name.

I pinch the string of her tampon and tug. Her hands slap against the wall, trying to gain some sort of leverage or support to hold on to.

“What are you doing?” The question ends on a high-pitched note, proving how horrified she is.

“Like I said, a man’s got to eat.” I tug again, slow and gentle, the tampon coming out with ease. I’d hate for her to be in pain just to feed me. “Does that feel okay?”

“Yes, but—oh.”

I rub her cunt with my fingers, massaging her lips while keeping my thumb applied to her clit.

Slow, hard circles cause her to moan, her thighs shaking from the attention.

Her mouth parts when I bring the tampon to my mouth.

Our gazes lock. Her heart rate increases.

I hear it. A fast, uncontrolled beat by what she is seeing.

“Kentucky, are you going to?—”

I sink my fangs into the warm tampon, groaning when her blood flows across my tongue.

My sight zeroes in between her thighs. The smell of her blood has more saliva pooling in my mouth.

Inserting two fingers, I slip them inside her, growling within my chest when rivulets of red flow down my hand, dripping onto the tile floor.

The water washes it down the drain, forever gone.

Wasted.

“Have you…have you done this before?” Her words tremble with a hint of sadness.

I toss the tampon on the floor and lift the other leg onto my shoulder, keeping her propped against the wall.

“No. No one’s blood has ever called to me the way yours does.

I believe I’ve saved many parts of myself for you, and I am angry at the world for keeping me away from you for so long.

” I dive my head between her legs, my tongue parting her lips.

I moan when her flavor bursts through my taste buds. She’s so soft and warm, like silk draping over my tongue. Her blood invigorates me more than the coffee from yesterday.

“Kentucky,” she groans my name, her nails digging into my scalp as my tongue plunges inside her depths that I claimed as mine last night.

No other has had her.

No other will have her.

I’m the only man she will ever experience for the rest of her eternity.