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I need his skin on mine… ice against fire.

So I claw at the buttons on his shirt, until they pop open and his sculpted chest is on display.

Slowing his thrusts, Viktor shrugs out of his suspenders and shirt, then crowds me until I’m forced to lie back on the desk.

The wood sticks to my sweat-slicked skin.

He braces his hands near my shoulders, and I wrap my legs around his narrow waist.

Arching my neck, I bare it to him, foreign instinct telling me he needs to feed.

Carding my fingers into his hair, I guide his mouth to my hammering pulse.

My free hand slides between our bodies in search of my clit.

“Feed, Viktor,” I moan, working my fingers over my clit.

It’s slippery with our combined arousal.

My eyes slam shut in preparation for the pinch of pain I know is coming.

As his hips pick up their pace again, his body lays over mine like an icy shield. “I love you, Maggie.” The gentle declaration is a direct contrast to the brutal way he fucks into me.

Then, he strikes, sinking his fangs deep into my neck. My pulse skyrockets and my blood burns.

Until… I’m floating on the fluffiest of clouds as euphoria takes hold of my body. A kaleidoscope of brilliant colors dance across my closed lids, and pulses of pleasure radiate from my core where it clamps around Viktor’s cock.

His guttural moans vibrate against my throat, and his thrusts stutter before he holds deep. The first splash of his cum against my womb pulls a groan from my lips .

He gulps down my blood before pulling back. Crimson drips from his elongated fangs. His eyes— Fuck . They glow a brilliant red.

Combined with his disheveled snowy locks, it should be frightening. He’s an apex predator, and I’m trapped beneath him.

But Viktor would never hurt me. He only wants to bring me pleasure and love. Something he’s proven over and over. Proving my point, he dips down, and his hot tongue drags along the wound on my neck. The movement causes my inner walls to flutter as I moan. “Did it work?”

His lips caress the skin, like butterfly wings, before he pulls back to meet my eyes. “We’ll know in a few days if the bite mark turns into a scar instead of healing. Ready for your part?”

My brow furrows as Viktor sits me up, cock still buried deep inside me.

He brings his wrist to my lips. “Bite, country girl.”

That same nagging instinct rears its head again, and I obey. My teeth sink into his wrist, breaking the skin. Tangy, rich liquid fills my mouth. For some reason, I have the urge to swallow a mouthful before I release him.

The warm blood slides down my throat and settles in my stomach.

When I release his wrist, Viktor has a knowing smile on his face. “We have to hurry before it heals.”

Grabbing the watch pendant from between my breasts, I bring it between us and flip open the lid.

My body acts on its own, somehow knowing exactly what needs to be done, even though I have no fucking idea what I’m doing. Through a small hole in the top, Viktor’s blood fills the interior of the watch, drop by drop.

Soon, the face is tinted red. It shimmers when it catches the light. The hands keep ticking like normal. “Do you think it worked?” Dragging my eyes from the watch face, I find Viktor’s.

His eyebrows are pinched in the middle, his jaw tight. “I don’t… I don’t know.”

Then he groans and drops to his knees. Oh, shit!

Face pinched in a pained expression, he clutches his chest.

“Viktor!” Ignoring my state of undress, I scramble off the desk, crawling in front of him. When I place my hand over his heart, it’s beating way faster than it should. My gut twists. Did we do something wrong? What’s happening?

Another pained groan, and his eyes roll to the back of his head as he collapses.

“Viktor!” Tears blur my vision as I do the only thing I can think to do… start compressions on his chest. But the beating of his heart is noticeably absent.

Oh my god! This can’t be happening again. Am I cursed to find love, only to have it ripped from my grasp every time?

Sobbing, I lay my head on his chest, my body growing numb.

Thump.

I press my ear closer to his chest.

Thump. Thump.

His heart…. It’s beating again.

Viktor’s eyes fly wide, and he sucks in a breath. His chest heaves as he gasps for lungful after lungful of air.

Tears pour down my cheeks, their salty flavor coating my trembling lips. “Viktor. Holy shit! Are you okay?”

Relief washes over me as I scoot closer and gently prop his head on my lap.

He rubs at the skin over his heart. When he sits up, one hand goes to my chest, right over my galloping heart.

The fingers of his other hand wrap around my wrist, laying my palm on his chest. Under the skin, his heart beats perfectly in time with mine.

“They’re in sync. Bonded. I-I think it worked, Maggie.

” Sleepy eyes flit to mine before closing on a long blink.

“You’re mortal?”

Releasing my hand, his fingers wrap around the pendant that hangs between my breasts. “I think so, but let’s not find out, yeah?” He chuckles.

Helping him to his feet, he wobbles when I lead him to our bedroom and straight to the bathtub. “I thought you were dead,” I say, leaning him against the counter and turning on the tap.

Hot water fills the tub as I help Viktor undress. “I’m not going anywhere for a very long time. You’re stuck with me, country girl.” His thumb swipes back and forth over the puncture marks on my neck.

“Sounds pretty damn good to me, city boy.”

Viktor presses a kiss to my forehead, then my lips. Now that the shock of almost losing him has worn off, the mating bond thrums under my skin as Viktor’s love pours through our connection.

It’ll take some getting used to, but I like the feeling of him always being with me .

I tug him by the hand into the tub, where we clean the blood from our skin and start planning for the future of Sweet Orchard Dreams .