Her tongue licked over his flesh. When shestarted riding him again, her body grinding hard against his, hecouldn’t deny he was lost to her. Love swelled within him as henourished her. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for this woman whohad brought peace and happiness to his tumultuous life.
She let go of his wrist and turned her headto kiss him. He tasted his blood on her lips as her butterscotchscent engulfed him. When she cried out against his mouth and themuscles of her sheath clenched around his cock, he gave himselfover to the release building within him.
CHAPTER 40
The first rays of the sun were warming theearth when Aiden carried her back to his room. She was far tooexhausted to walk. Her head slumped against his chest as sheyawned. With her bra and shirt ruined, she wore his shirt and herjeans.
Entering his room, Aiden set her on the bedand lay down behind her before pulling her against him. He held herclose as she drifted off to sleep.
According to the clock on the stand, it wastwo in the afternoon when she woke again. Glenn’s funeral was over.A twinge of sadness tugged at her heart. She stretched her handbehind her for Aiden, but it fell on an empty bed.
Rising, she searched for him before spottinghim sitting on the chair in the corner of the room. He smiled ather, but strain etched the corners of his mouth, and she didn’tunderstand the sadness in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” She drew her knees againsther chest and hugged them to her. “Did something go wrongyesterday? Is everyone okay? Areyouokay? You seemed morestressed than normal last night, Nosferatu,” she teased in thehopes of coaxing a real smile from him.
“Everything went as well as expected,” hesaid. “And I'm all right.”
“What happened? Did you learn why theSavages attacked you?”
“The Savages attacked me because Carha hiredthem to do it. She didn’t like that I kept turning her down.”
Maggie’s mouth dropped at this revelation.“This was over sex?”
“Or lack thereof. It was also because of herpride and the fact she was a malicious, sick bitch who thrived onthe misery and pain of others.”
“I’ll kill her.”
More of a smile curved Aiden’s mouth as heclasped his hands before him and leaned forward. “Too late.”
“She’s dead?”
“Yes.”
“Good. What about the Savages who attackedyou?”
“They’re dead too, including the one whoattacked you. There is no risk to you from them anymore.”
“Oh,” Maggie breathed as her shoulderssagged in relief. “That’s great. Can I go home and back towork?”
Aiden kept himself from wincing as hisfingers tore into his palms. “If you choose.”
“Was Carha working with them for long?”
“It looks like it. From what we’ve learned,she was setting up some of her other patrons too. There is apurebred vampire, Joseph, who worked with Ronan before I joinedthem. Joseph gave in and turned Savage. Now, he’s trying to buildan army against Ronan. Carha wanted the Savages to kill me, butthere is a chance they intended to bring me to Joseph, and we thinkthat’s what has happened to at least some of the others she setup.”
“Joseph turns other vampires intoSavages?”
“Yes. The need to kill rules Savagevampires, but they’re not stupid. In fact, they’re annoyinglycunning, and Joseph has found a way to create more of them.”
“So Savages are like the ingenious criminalswho figure out how to break out of prison using a bar of soap and atoothbrush.”
“Exactly. We know they’re smart, but theyseem to lose themselves in the blood, and they also appear to loseall sense of a conscience. If I became one, I could lead them to myfamily.”
Aiden shuddered at the possibility as hestared at his feet. He’d rather die first.
“You could never be like one of thosethings,” Maggie whispered.
“But I could. There have been many timeswhen I was right there on the edge of becoming one, including lastnight.”
