Page 8 of The Vampire’s Hunter (Rogue Brotherhood #2)

8

F or once, Corbin didn’t stop to consider the repercussions of what he was doing, didn’t pause to plan or calculate. All he wanted was to bury himself inside Dani, to wring another orgasm from between those silky lips. Consequences be damned. He’d tried his damnedest to resist her before, but now, in the face of all he’d lost for her, he couldn’t help himself.

Corbin lifted her into his arms, moving with supernatural grace and speed, as he deposited her onto his bed, his hands working in a fury. He had her naked before him in an instant, tearing his own shirt to shreds, and leaving Dani spread eagle and bare before him, save for that goddamn necklace key.

Corbin reached down, gripping the old skeleton key in his fist. “How long?” he whispered. “How long have you had this?”

“A few years,” Dani shrugged, unknowingly, wiggling closer to the edge of the bed near him. “Someone left it for me at the Midnight Coyote.”

Blood fire sparked in his eyes then, his lust going feral. “And you’ve held onto it since?”

She nodded. “It…it came with a note. From a friend, or so, it said.” She shrugged a little, half-lidded eyes looking at him. “They didn’t leave a name. I always figured it was one of the regulars. Someone who admired me a bit.”

Corbin growled his disapproval. “And do you remember what the note said?”

Dani smiled a little, reclaiming it from his hands as if she were holding a precious gift. “It said that the key to all my desires was within my reach, if only I knew where to look for it.”

“And did you?” he asked, his attention rapt, eyes combing her face, her breasts, each breath. “Did you know where to look for it, Dani?”

She shrugged once more like she wasn’t certain why it mattered to him. “I don’t know. I always sort of assumed it was just a message to me, encouragement to claim my power, to not be under Cillian’s thumb anymore. It made me feel like I could be brave.”

“And that’s why you kept it?” he asked, bending to lay a kiss on one of her breasts. His tongue darted over one peaked nipple.

“Yes,” she breathed, arching into him. “Yes, it reminds me I have a choice, a say in where my life goes.”

Corbin didn’t breathe. “And the key?” he asked. “Do you know what it opens?”

Her brow furrowed a little like she was confused by his question. “I…I never bothered to try it, I guess. I wouldn’t know where to look.”

Corbin swallowed, his emotions thick in his throat. “A shame,” he said, lowering himself over her. “After all, keys are meant to open doors, and open doors lead to new opportunities.” He dropped to his knees before her, spreading her wide as he teased her pussy with one slow lick. “What opportunity did you miss, Dani?”

Dani moaned, her answer lost to the heat of his mouth swallowing her whole. His tongue circled her clit, giving and taking. It didn’t take long, until she was bucking against him, coming against his mouth. She was still riding high from his bite, and he hadn’t even given her a drink of him yet.

“So responsive, so soft,” he whispered against her as she shivered.

Corbin stood then, shucking off his clothes and allowing them to fall to the floor, until he stood naked before her, his cock hard and ready.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered, her tongue darting out to wet her lips, like she was hungry from him. Her gaze raked over his nude form and settled on the bead of moisture at the tip of his cock. He smirked at her, tsking his tongue a little.

She didn’t know hunger, and she never would. Not like he did.

Not the kind of hunger that could consume until there was little room left for anything else to exist. He didn’t wish even upon his worst enemy, not even Lucien.

“No more beautiful than you, darling,” he said, drinking her in. “You’re exquisite.”

He took one of her breasts into his mouth, gently pinching and playing with it, until she was gasping, begging for more. Her hands twisted into his hair.

“May I enter you?” he whispered against her skin. “Make you mine?”

“Yes,” she panted. “Yes, I might die if you don’t.”

Corbin chuckled. “Oh, Dani. You have no idea how close to death you humans really are.” He flipped her over then, entering her pussy from behind on a heated thrust. Dani cried out, throwing her head back with the pleasure of it.

Moving them once more, Corbin gripped hold of her hair, arching her back until she was nearly riding him whilst standing, his other hand in control of her hips. Dani’s hands fell to her breasts, clutching and kneading greedily, as she took her pleasure.

“Say you’re mine,” Corbin whispered against her throat. “I wish to hear it.”

“I’m yours,” Dani panted.

He tugged her hair, arching her back further. “Louder.”

“I’m yours!” Dani practically shouted.

Anything to please him.

“Good girl,” he praised her. “Now, stay still for a bit.”

Corbin bit into her, thrusting in time along with it. His mouth sucking, and his cock pumping until both of them were nearly crazed with it.

“Come for me, Dani,” he hissed, releasing her from his blood-stained lips. “Come for me and tell me this was never just for show.”

“It isn’t,” she cried. “It wasn’t.”

“It was real,” he admitted. “It was real for us both.”

Dani cried out then, clenching around him for several thrusts until a moment later, he spent himself in her, his cum trickling down her legs, same as the blood which coated her throat.

He laid her down on the bed then, drawing her against him as he sealed her wounds.

Fuck, she was beautiful, far more delicate and fragile than he’d ever envisioned, her pulse fluttering like a butterfly he could crush in his hands.

“What happens now, Dani? What happens after this?”

She didn’t answer him for a long time, instead choosing only to cuddle against him. Until finally, she rose. “You owe me a blood oath,” she said, climbing on top of him to straddle his hips. She offered him her wrist then, allowing him to bite her there once more. Eagerly, he sucked from her, greedy, harsh pulls that made him hard in an instant, ready for her again.

Pulling back her wrist once more, she sank down onto his cock with a delicious, throaty groan. “A blood oath that says the next time you take your revenge against Lucien, that we shall share it, that his life will be mine to claim alongside you and yours, and that you will never lie to me again.” She lifted herself up, swirling her hips, teasing him with whether she would sink down and put him out of his misery. “No more lies. No more secrets.”

He could be inside her for centuries and never tire of it.

But they only had a few decades more, at most.

“Swear it,” she whispered harshly. Pure harpy once more. “Swear it and I’m forever yours.”

Corbin chuckled, shaking his head. What could a human possibly know of forever?

But damn it, if she didn’t already have him wrapped around her finger already.

“You have my word,” he swore, bringing his wrist to his lips.

He bit down, drawing blood before offering it to her, encouraging her to drink. “What’s mine is yours, darling,” he said, lifting his wrist to her lips, “and what’s yours is mine.”

Dani placed her mouth on his wrist, tasting him as he had her.

“Drink deep,” he growled, and to his satisfaction, she did.

Corbin lay awake long into the midnight hours, until it became sunrise and then dusk again, his body unmoving, whilst Dani lay tucked into his side, sleeping. Time often passed for him in a blur like this. Little more than a brief flash of memory, the years speeding by with ever-increasing speed. Eternity was truly endless.

Eventually, he rose, padding naked from his room and down the abandoned penthouse corridor. Only to find Kharis alone, smoking a cigarette in his living room.

“So, you fucked her.”

His friend didn’t say anything more, before Corbin sat across from him on the sofa, nicking one of his cigarettes from the open box upon the table. He grabbed Kharis’ lighter, the one he’d given him several holidays ago as a gift, flicking it open and lighting up, before he took a long drag of his own.

“Did you turn her?” Kharis asked.

“No.” Corbin leaned forward, flicking his ashes into a waiting crystal dish. “No, not yet.”

“Mmm,” Kharis hummed. “Is the delay for her benefit or for yours?”

Corbin crossed his legs, leaning his arms back onto the couch as he took a long drag in answer.

“If that’s how it’s to be, I suppose.” Kharis stubbed his cigarette butt into the waiting tray. “Lucien’s already reached out to his other contacts. To the Morettis and Tedescos, hoping they’ll back him.”

Corbin lifted a brow, blowing out smoke. “And will they?”

“That remains to be seen.” Kharis leaned back, looking at him once more. “This is bad, Corbin. As bad as it’s ever been.”

Corbin nodded. “I know.”

“And was it worth it? Choosing her over your own?”

Corbin stubbed out the remainder of his cigarette and rose. “Ask me in a few days’ time.”

“You still truly believe you can pull this off, don’t you?” Kharis said over his shoulder.

“That you can somehow find a way out of this?”

“There’s always a way, Kharis. There’s always a way for men who are desperate.” Corbin paused.

“That’s the problem. Based on the last few hours, I’m not certain you’re desperate enough ,” Kharis spat.

Corbin’s voice remained as calm as it was cold. “Lucien has already taken everything from me once before,” he said. “I won’t allow him to do so again.”

Corbin returned to his room then, leaving Kharis alone to sulk.

Dani was just rousing from her sleep as he entered.

“Corbin?” she whispered through the dark, blue eyes searching.

“Right here, darling. I didn’t leave you for long.”

He joined her in his bed then, pulling her against him. In a single night, they’d made love nearly a dozen times or more, and still, he wasn’t satiated, wasn’t satisfied.

When would it be enough?

He traced his hand over the smooth skin of her neck, the puncture wounds he’d left there.

“What shall I do now, Dani?” he mused. “What would you have me do?”

“Turn me,” she whispered, confirming his greatest fear. “Turn me. Make me well and truly yours.”

Corbin couldn’t bring himself to move. “I can’t,” he breathed. “Forgive me, darling, but I won’t.”

She twisted toward him then, staring up at him through the dark as if his expression contained all the world’s greatest mysteries, until finally, she whispered, “I understand.” The hurt in her eyes killed him a little. It was like she was destroying him from the inside out.

Bit by bit. Piece by piece.

She sat up, moving to the edge of the bed. “And what of Lucien? What of him?”

“I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it.”

She nodded, temporarily appeased. “And your plan?”

Corbin huffed, leaning back against the pillows. “Hell if I know, luv.”

“Good,” Dani said, instantly drawing his gaze again. “Good, because I do.”

Corbin sat up, moving across the bed to prop himself on his elbow as he kissed along the skin of her arm, her shoulder. “And what pray tell, do you propose?” he whispered.

“I’ve had my revenge, but now it’s time for me to help you get yours.” Dani stood from the bed, pulling away from him suddenly in a way that caused him to hiss in protest. “I think we may need to call my brother.”