His joy over feeding from her helped fuel hers. He lowered her to the floor of the vehicle and leveled himself over top of her. Callie smiled dazedly at him as his thumbs stroked her cheeks.
Lucien took in her flushed face, shining eyes, and smiled while he gazed at her. “I love you, Callista.”
Her eyes widened, and the smile she gave him revealed all of her straight, white teeth. Her joy was palpable in the small vehicle, and though it had taken him a long time to get the words out, he would say them every day for the rest of their lives if it meant seeing this look on her face again.
He should never have waited so long to say them, but he’d never uttered them before. His parents weren’t what he’d call loving. His father was downright vicious. That brutality had resided in Yannis and probably helped push him in the direction he’d chosen. His parents joining was not a love match; they came together, had children, and raised those children because….
Well, he did know why they decided to have children. They were both older vampires when he was born; perhaps, they were bored and looking to try something new, or maybe they feared their time would end soon and intended to leave their legacy behind in their children. If that was the case, they only hastened their deaths by having children.
His mother was kinder than his father, but only because she didn’t beat them like his father did. That man believed the only way to raise strong sons was to beat the strength into them. His mother thought it was better to ignore the abuse and her children.
There were times he could still feel his father’s blows, times when he could still feel the lash slicing through his flesh. Sometimes, during his ugliest moments, he understood why Yannis did what he did to them.
There were many times over the years when they still lived, that he’d contemplated doing the same thing to them. However, though his parents hadn’t instilled love in him, they had made it clear what would happen if he gave in to his malevolent urges.
Part of him had wanted to rebel against them and become the monster his father was determined to beat out of him, but the larger part already considered his father a monster and refused to become like him.
He also couldn’t do that to Coralie. His parents weren’t much better to her; his father didn’t beat her like he did his sons, but they both ignored her. Yannis was cruel to her only once before Lucien put an end to it, and then his brother had chosen to ignore her too.
He was all Coralie had, and he couldn’t abandon her by becoming the monster who killed their parents. No matter how horrible their situation was, she wouldn’t forgive him for it, and he couldn’t bear to see the condemnation and disappointment in her violet eyes.
Now, all that was behind him. Yes, Yannis was still out there, but in here, it was only him and Callie and his unbelievable love for her.
“I love you too,” she whispered.
He claimed her mouth as he entered her, and she encircled her legs around his waist. She clung to him while he whispered, “I love you,” in her ear and thrust deep within her.
Callie bit into his shoulder as she came with a loud cry. She clung to him as his muscles bunched around her. The pressure of his weight on her was deliciously erotic as his skin slid against hers and their bodies remained joined after he found his release.
Lowering his head to her shoulder, he inhaled her sweet aroma as he smoothed the hair back from her forehead. “When we get home, I’m going to claim you completely.”
Callie shivered at the delicious promise. “I can’t wait.”
Lucien reluctantly pulled out of her and rolled away. He tugged his clothes back on while he watched her dress. When they finished, they curled up together on the sleeping bag. He pulled her flush against him as they drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
A loud bangcrashing against the back window jolted Lucien awake. Fists rained against the glass as shouts filled the air.
“Get up! Get up!” Killean yelled.
Lucien bolted upright and scrambled for the side door. Callie sat up, and her cognac-colored eyes met his as dismay filled her face.
“Stay here!” he yelled.
He didn’t wait for a response before he flung open the door and leapt out into the night. He closed the door shut as a sword pierced his shoulder and went straight through to embed itself in the side of the SUV.
Lucien grunted and his vision blurred as the blade twisted deeper. The stench of garbage and blood filled his nose before his vision cleared, and he found himself staring into the cold, black eyes of his brother.
Though he wanted to deny there was any connection between them, there was no denying their resemblance. Yannis’s hair was brown instead of blond, and he was a little taller and leaner, but there were few other differences.
And he would love nothing more than to tear out his brother’s heart.
Lucien bared his fangs at Yannis. Seeing him again only brought Lucien’s hatred streaming toward the forefront.
“Hello, brother,” Yannis greeted.
With Callie’s blood inside him and his need to protect her fueling him, Lucien tore himself away from the vehicle. Yannis’s eyebrows rose as Lucien lunged toward him. Flesh and muscle tore, and the hole in his shoulder grew bigger as he pulled himself along the blade until he was within arm’s reach of Yannis.
