Page 188 of The Curse Trilogy

“How the… where did… How is this-”

“Araya found a stash of blood nomads must have left behind,” Brazen lies. “I suppose you should get used to me sticking around a while longer.”

“But… but… but,” Clay stumbles.

“I’m glad you kept the SUV,” I murmur to distract him. “The sun will be in full glow soon.”

“Maybe five minutes or less,” Hale releases with complete breathlessness while still trying to process the impossibility of what he’s seeing.

We climb into the back to escape the questioning eyes of the curious gaspers, and Brazen’s lips find mine the moment the door shuts. I run my hand over his cool, smooth chest, and he smiles more against my lips.

“Why are you smiling?” I giggle out.

“Because I’m still here with you. Coming that close to losing everything makes you appreciate how great life really is,” he murmurs genuinely, and then his lips play against mine some more.

“I’m still curious about the blood you found,” Clay mutters while climbing into the passenger seat.

“You mean the blood they claimed to have found,” Hale growls.

“What’s your problem?” Brazen snarks, and I snuggle into his body as he tries to provoke the interrogative Hale.

“I think that’s pretty damn apparent, don’t you?” Hale barks.

“The last time I checked, you fucked her over again,” Brazen snaps back.

“Fucking stop already. There’s a reason the two of you aren’t allowed to communicate directly,” Clay blares, and Hale’s eyes dart back to the front as he cranks the SUV. “If you don’t want me ripping off your stripes, then start acting like the adults I know you both are.”

Brazen’s jaw tenses until my lips stroll over his jaw line, and then he’s forced to smile against his will. My kissing trail continues across his neck, and I can feel Hale’s eyes burning against my back as I climb over to sit in Brazen’s lap. He tilts my head up to kiss me softly, and I’m the one smiling like a fool.

“You think I’m stupid, don’t you?” Hale growls.

“Just drop it,” Clay snaps. “The two of you can’t communicate without arguing. I’ll just speak to Araya later.”

Brazen’s grip tightens on me, and it’s his fear of my being a science test that has provoked his tension. I disengage myself from the tension and continue my wonderful show of adoration for the full blood who shouldn’t still be breathing. His firm chest feels like heaven beneath my lips, and his erection is ever steadily growing.

“Clay, it’s her fucking blood. He took her blood,” Hale snarls out, and Clay’s eyes are popping out when I turn around.

Ah crap.

“That’s absurd,” Brazen lies.

“I know better than anyone how she looks, acts, and even smells after a blood fuck. I can smell it in your fucking veins. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I know it’s there. What I don’t understand is why in the hell you’re denying it,” Hale breathes out, and my heart slightly crackles when I feel like there was hidden emotion behind it.

“Fine,” I grumble. “It’s my blood. He took it because he didn’t want to die like that. Neither of us know what the hell happened, so fucking get over it, Captain Banner, Sir.”

Hale’s eyes seem to burn, and he cuts them away from the rearview mirror.

“Why didn’t you just tell us?” Clay gripes.

“Because I don’t want her getting turned into a science project. She’s been through enough, and I don’t want a group of white lab coats surrounding her while studying her like a new breed of interesting,” Brazen mumbles, and then his lips stroke my forehead so gently.

“You think I would do that to her?” Clay asks, disbelief and insult buried very shallowly in his tone.

“You think I’d let someone do that to her?” Hale steams out with fury.

“I just didn’t want to take any chances.”

“Araya? You don’t trust me?” Clay asks with such a wounded tone, and now I feel like an ass.