Page 108 of Paramour of Sin

I released Zebulon to cup her cheek, my heart in my throat as I gazed into her too-blue eyes.

“I should have told you that day how I’d fallen for you. I should have told you why I couldn’t touch you. And most importantly, I should have been honest with myself and with Zebulon about my feelings. ButIbehaved like a child. And I ran you off instead.” I drew my thumb along her lower lip, my eyes falling to follow the motion. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Guinevere. But I’m going to spend however long it takes to earn it.”

Zebulon’s palm left my hip to wrap his arm around her waist, his lips ghosting along the side of her neck. “I won’t apologize for my edict,” he said softly. “I still firmly believe you needed to grow, Guinevere. I’m a lot to handle, and I realize now that the reason I refused to touch you early on was because I wanted you to be ready for me. I wanted you to desire me, Zebulon, not me, your lord.”

He nibbled her ear lobe, then his gaze locked on me again.

“And you, Zane, have handled me for a century. You’ve sacrificed for me in so many ways, you’ve been so incredibly patient, and I’ve failed you spectacularly. I see that now. I didn’t want a paramour. I still don’t want a paramour.” He reached for me again, this time his fingers locking with my hair to pull me forward and over Guinevere so I could see nothing but his smoldering irises. “I want a mate. I want you.” He looked down at Guinevere as he added. “Bothof you.”

Then he kissed me.

His mouth was hard, demanding, just like I liked it. I leaned into him as he deepened this kiss, his tongue swirling with mine, his teeth scraping my lips.

Fuck.

It was aggressive. Harsh. So utterly Zebulon.

Until I tasted the blood in my mouth.

Again, he didn’t ask. Again, he gave. And then his teeth sunk into my lip as hetook.

We were already bonded, not just by blood, but by time and experience. He’d been mine for decades. I’d never considered the long-term because I didn’t do attachments.

But a hundred yearswaslong-term.

A century of indulgence existed between us. A century of emotion. A century of building a relationship. A century of essentially mating.

However, it took Guinevere joining us to make us realizewhowe were together. And it took her confession to cement our fates.

My strong, beautiful succubus.

Guinevere truly was our heart. Our life beat. Our reason for being here, right now, sharing blood, and as Zebulon released me to stare down at her, I knew where this was headed.

A claiming.

An honest one.

A thorough one.

Assuming she would have us.

He guided her to her back, her blue eyes wide as we hovered over her. There was no escape. She would become ours. Entirely. Not temporarily. Not until this addiction wore off. But for always.

I felt the assurance coming from Zebulon, his intention clear.

And I pushed back at his aura, agreeing completely.

This girl was meant to be ours.

“A blood bond between demons is rare,” Zebulon murmured. “It’s a life commitment. It’s for eternity.” He cocked his head, his gazing holding hers. “I gave you my blood, but I didn’t take yours in response. The choice is yours, Guinevere.”

A choice he hadn’t given me. Because he knew it wasn’t needed. I’d made my choice the night I first let him tie me up. I’d belonged to him every moment of every day since.

Which was the real reason I’d rejected Guinevere all these years. Not out of commitment to him, but because I trusted his judgment. I wanted to please him. I wanted to be the incubus he saw me to be. I wanted to be perfectforhim.

Yet I’d failed.

Because I should have gone to him and told him how I felt.