Chapter 9 #3
Eventually, I pulled into the driveway of a modern, gigantic "mansion" that looked like a hotel. It was no wonder Jazz had been so horrified by my ancient minivan; the royals were loaded.
Whatever Dante's businesses were, he was clearly good at his job.
Jazz let out an unsteady breath. "Well, thanks for the ride. And for getting us out of there. I honestly didn't think we would ever leave."
"You can thank Merrily. I wouldn't have answered the door if anyone but her had shown up."
Jazz nodded.
Then, she slipped out of the van, pulling River with her.
"I'll keep to myself, and make sure the rest of the angels do the same," my brother said on his way out.
I'd forgotten that he was powerful enough to hold a Cabinet seat himself. He'd undoubtedly end up leading the angels by the next time I saw him.
Which hopefully wouldn't be for a long fucking time.
"Do they not consider you an angel?" Dante asked me.
"Nope. Fallen angels are our own category. If I wasn't keeping the penitentiary running, the actual angels would've already hunted me down and killed me."
"That's bullshit."
I made a noncommittal noise.
Silently, I watched Jazz and my brother walk up the doorstep and disappear inside the mansion.
Then, I looked at Dante. "You're not coming home with me."
His lips twitched. "Think of all the fun we could have."
"We're never having fun together again, Inferno." I gestured toward the mansion. "As great as this has been, you should leave. Actually, you should bite me, then leave, so we can have two days before we need to see each other."
"That's not a good idea. My bite will affect you a lot more now that we're mated. It'll feel… pleasurable."
"So?"
"So, we're in a vehicle. Sitting in front of my old house."
"So?" I repeated. "No one will see through the windows, and I'm not going to jump you or anything. It can't be that strong."
"It can."
I rolled my eyes and offered him my wrist. "Just get it over with."
"Alright. Don't say I didn't warn you, Ophelia."
His fingers were gentle on my arm, sending goosebumps over my skin.
Thank god he didn't mention my reaction.
He simply lifted my wrist to his lips, and slowly bit down.
The moment his fangs broke my skin, hot need flooded me. It felt like someone had flipped a switch. Or turned on a sauna. Or thrown a pot of hot water over me, at the very least.
I tipped my head back, taking in a deep breath of pleasure and fighting the urge to slip my hand in the front of my jumpsuit.
Dante drank.
And drank.
And drank.
I was dizzy before he was finished, but not the way I'd been dizzy when he fed from me in the prison. This dizziness was pure, undiluted need and pleasure.
When he eventually released me and dragged his tongue over my broken skin, a climax hit. Just like that.
The pleasure was light—and nowhere near enough—but still left me moaning, panting, and reeling as Dante pressed a light kiss to my small, healing wounds.
What the fuck?
"I could watch that all day," he said in a low voice.
There was no hiding the erection that strained against his jumpsuit.
Or the shadows that now tangled with his colorful aura. They now were thick and dark, and made him look significantly more deadly.
I guess starvation had weakened them too, when he was in the penitentiary.
My eyes jerked upward as a demon appeared in the doorway of the mansion. One I recognized from the glowing soul bond that wrapped around him.
Grayson Darke, the incubus king.
"Your family's waiting for you." I managed to say, gesturing toward the door, and hoping it would get rid of the vampire.
He had me seriously off-balance, and I was more than ready for that to stop.
Dante gave me a long look. "This isn't over between us."
"Our immortal mate bond pretty much ensures that."
Dante released my wrist and unbuckled his seat belt. "I'll see you soon, Angel."
"Don't call me that."
"If I feel you through the bond, fucking whoever taught you to take a knot—or anyone else—I'll hunt you down and kill them," he said bluntly, as he opened the passenger door.
Another bolt of hot lust rolled through me. "Maybe I could do it without you feeling anything."
"If you try, I'll be moving you into my bedroom after I kill whoever you're with. We both know how much you want that." He closed the door and strode away.
I rolled the window down and called out, "I could escape!"
"You want to bet, Mate?" he looked over his shoulder, the heat in his eyes daring me to take that bet.
I didn't respond. Didn't think I could win that particular argument.
He looked back at the front door. When he broke out into a jog, the demon in the entrance did the same.
Dante and Grayson collided in the biggest of bro-hugs. I watched as they tackled and shoved each other, grinning widely.
…maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world to have family that wasn't pottery.
A woman appeared in the doorway, too. One I recognized, who also glowed with a soulmate bond.
Merrily. The fae queen who had killed my father for me, saving my life in the process.
She lifted a hand to say thank you.
I saluted her.
Then drove away, without letting myself look backward.
Some things just weren't meant to be.