Page 15

A sound of distress left Danny’s throat, and he reached for Roman again.

This time, Roman let him. Danny stepped forward and plastered his body to Roman’s front, hugging him hard.

“I can’t condemn you for your reaction to Luc’s killings.

I don’t know what living as long as you have does to your perspective of human life, but I expect—” Danny struggled to find the words.

“I expect it makes it hard to empathize with life being cut short, when human life seems so short to you already.”

When Roman seemed poised to object, Danny just hugged him harder, cutting him off. “But I can speak to what you did for Victoria. You honored a choice. That was her choice. Not yours, and not Luc’s. Just because he’s been murderously guilt-tripping you for decades doesn’t mean he’s right.”

Danny looked up at Roman to see him shaking his head at him in disbelief. “Why are you not scared of me?” the vampire ground out. “You have seen what one of my kind can do, back in the alley. You know now that being with me puts you in danger. You should hate me for walking into your life.”

Danny narrowed his eyes. “I refuse to be scared of you just because of what you are. I work in the ER. I’ve seen stab wounds, gunshots, domestic abuse—all done by humans .

Vampires don’t have the patent on violent acts.

A human partner wouldn’t necessarily mean a safe partner.

” He kissed Roman’s chest, a brief peck over his shirt.

“ You make me feel safe, weird as that is. I know, somehow, that you and your demon wouldn’t hurt me.

And I know you’d protect me from Luc if he came for me. I can feel that.”

Roman smiled at him then, so gently and sweetly that Danny’s breath caught in his throat.

Then the vampire bent down to brush his lips over Danny’s, the gentle kiss soon turning hungry.

He growled and pulled Danny even harder against him, and Danny could feel Roman’s cock hardening against his stomach.

“Sweet boy. Gentle, sweet human mate,” Roman purred in his ear after breaking the kiss, trailing his lips down along Danny’s neck.

Danny shivered, feeling himself melt at the touch of Roman’s lips on his skin. How did this vampire have such an effect on him?

But when Roman went to place another kiss on his lips, Danny pulled his head back.

Roman’s muscles immediately tensed. He peered down at Danny, blue eyes searching Danny’s for some sign. He sighed. “You still worry over something.”

Danny nodded, feeling hesitant to voice his concerns. “I’m not afraid of you. But there are still things about this whole…situation…that freak me out.”

“Luc,” Roman hissed.

“Not Luc. Your reaction to Luc. That you’ll—that you’ll leave.”

Roman opened his mouth, but Danny continued on before he could voice his protest. “You say that you move around constantly. And I get why now. But I can’t just up and leave.

I have responsibilities here. My mom. You haven’t met her yet.

You don’t know, but…Gabe can’t handle it on his own.

He just can’t. He’s in denial. She won’t have anybody if I’m gone. ”

Roman was shaking his head, his fingers stroking softly against Danny’s cheek. “I won’t leave you, Danny. You are my mate . I know it. I have known it in some way since the first moment I saw you.”

“You mean your demon knew,” Danny felt the need to clarify.

Roman cocked his head, eyeing Danny as if he was a puzzle he could solve. “And that distinction…bothers you?”

“You said Luc was certain that Victoria was his mate. But it sounded like you don’t agree…”

Roman grunted. “Ah. Yes. I was never a true believer, I suppose. And there were…inconsistencies. A mate is supposed to calm your demon, but Victoria seemed to simply…intensify Luc’s.

He was more labile, on edge, around her.

And her unwillingness to turn…” He sighed.

“But I could not tell if that was simply me attempting to lessen my own guilt.”

“But if Luc was wrong, you could be wrong too. I could be just another Victoria. Just because your demon likes me doesn’t mean—”

Roman stopped Danny with another kiss. “Do you really think it is solely my demon that likes you, my little king?” Oh God.

What was it about Roman’s low voice saying Danny’s once-hated nickname that made his cock immediately harden?

Danny had practically melted the first time he’d said it at the bar. It just wasn’t fair.

Roman continued, oblivious to Danny’s inner slut starting to take over his brain.

“It is not just the demon. You are so…lovely. Inside and out. Kind, caring, strong. You have devoted your life to taking care of others. I know there is a reason you work so hard, and I know it is not just for yourself. So determined to be good, in fact, that you neglect yourself.” Roman gave him a stern look. “Something that we will be rectifying.”

Roman slipped his hands into Danny’s curls, cradling his head, and gave him a look that could melt steel.

“And for the record…my demon does not just like you. It craves you. Is obsessed with you. Wants to own you and devour you and never let you go. You would run for the hills if you could hear what it thinks about you. What I think about you.”

The heat in Roman’s gaze combined with the heat of his words…

that was it. Danny was a goner. No more discussions.

No more thinking. He just needed Roman’s hands and mouth all over him.

Immediately. He reached up and grabbed Roman’s hands, tugging them out of his hair, and started to lead his vampire up the stairs.

Enough talking.

As soon as they entered his room, Danny was on Roman, standing on tiptoe to attack the taller man’s lips with his own. He wanted him so badly. Had barely gotten even a taste and was already addicted.

Roman groaned as he met Danny’s kiss just as fiercely, and Danny felt the harsh bite of Roman’s fingers digging into his sides. But Danny liked that bit of pain. It only served to intensify the moment, to heighten his desire.

Danny walked them backward, never letting his lips leave Roman’s. Their tongues and teeth were clashing, messy and raw. It was perfect. As he felt the backs of his knees hit his bed, Roman gave Danny a gentle push until he was sitting on the edge, sprawled back on his elbows.

Danny’s breath caught in his throat as he watched Roman gracefully bend to his knees, hands reaching for Danny’s hips to pull him closer to the edge of the bed.

“I am at your mercy, my little king,” Roman purred, long fingers beginning to deftly unbutton Danny’s jeans. “You have me on my knees for you. What would you have me do?”

Danny couldn’t seem to find the words, just watched wide-eyed as Roman pulled his jeans down over his hips, revealing underwear already damp from his leaking cock.

Roman gave a little groan of delight at the sight, bending his head to nuzzle Danny’s cock through his underwear, mouthing at his hard length.

Even through the fabric, Roman’s hot mouth felt so fucking good . Danny was panting already.

“What do you want from me, mon petit roi?” Roman asked again. “I am yours to command.”

I want everything , was all Danny could think. He wanted Roman’s mouth on his cock, wanted Roman to fill him and fuck him until he couldn’t walk.

But what Danny blurted out was, “I want you to bite me.”

Well, shit. Where had that come from?

But it was true. Danny wanted Roman’s bite.

Roman stopped his nuzzling and gazed up at Danny, blue eyes wide. Danny felt himself flush as he explained, “I want to know what it feels like. The other night you said—you said blood and sex go hand in hand for you. Show me.”

“They often do go hand in hand, lovely. But they do not have to. I would be perfectly satisfied with any sexual act with you, blood or no blood.”

Danny felt doubt creep over him. Was he pushing for something Roman wasn’t even interested in? “Do you not…want to?” he asked, annoyed at the insecurity in his voice.

Roman gave a low growl, sending a shiver through Danny. “Oh, I want to, little king. My demon has been dying for another taste of you since we healed your shoulder. We both think you have the most delicious blood in all creation.”

Oh. Well, that was…nice? How weird was his life now, that he was feeling proud over a vampire he barely knew calling his blood delicious?

“Then I want you to.”

Roman’s eyes darkened, and then he was peeling Danny’s underwear down, revealing his aching cock. Danny whimpered as Roman licked a stripe up the underside before dipping his tongue into the slit to gather the precum building there. If Danny had been standing, his knees would have buckled.

“What—um—what are you doing? Don’t you…um…fuck…my neck?” Danny was having trouble finding words.

He looked down again to see Roman giving him a devilish grin, blue eyes sparkling. “Oh, there are many more places than simply your neck to bite, sweet boy.”

Danny had a sudden horrifying thought and couldn’t help but glance down at his dick.

Roman burst out laughing, a deep, rolling sound.

“No, not there.” He placed a soft kiss at the head, sending another shiver through Danny.

Then he pushed Danny’s legs open wider and nuzzled at the soft skin where Danny’s groin met his thigh.

“Here.” He placed another soft kiss over the spot.

When Roman glanced back up, Danny saw his eyes were once again fully black, and his fangs were peeking out from between his lips.

But Danny felt no more fear than the last time.

When he realized Roman—or Roman’s demon?

—was waiting for Danny’s permission, giving him one more chance to back out, he spread his legs wider and gave a nod.

Roman growled, lips curling up in satisfaction, before ducking his head back down to the tender spot on Danny’s skin. Danny held his breath as he felt the sharp sting of Roman’s fangs entering him.