Her hand flattens against my chest, her fingers curling into the material of my button-up shirt. “And it smells good?”
I can’t believe she’s more worried about how she smells than the fact that she’s dancing with a vampire.
I tease the sharp point of my fangs over her delicate throat. “Good?” I scoff at the word. “Good doesn’t justify how your blood speaks to me. It calls to me. You call to me.” With more restraint than I thought possible, I press a kiss where I’ll leave my mark and lean back to memorize every angle of her beautiful face.
Her arms wrap around my neck, and she has to tilt her head back just to look at me.
“Why?” she asks. “Why do you call to me too?”
“I don’t know if you’re ready for that answer, Nariko.”
“I can handle more than you think I can.” She trips over my boots, a sharp hiss escaping her. The pain seeps into me and becomes my own.
My hands steady her, pressing against her hips so she doesn’t fall. “What’s wrong?” I inhale the air again, and the slightest hint of blood threatens my fangs to drop.
She giggles, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “There you go again. Sniffing me.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“It’s my feet. From stepping on the glass earlier. They still hurt. I thought I could walk around or do something as simple as dancing, but I guess not.”
Not wanting the night to end yet, I swing her into my arms, carrying her as if she’s my bride. A growl of approval thunders in my chest. I know vampires don’t really care about human weddings. Being fated to someone means so much more than a wedding band, but I’d marry Nariko right now. Once I claim her with my bite, every paranormal will know she’s mine.
The human world won’t, and I’m not okay with that. I need everyone to know. The entire world.
The entire universe.
“What are you doing, Oklahoma? You can put me down.”
“Ain’t no way I’m putting you down when you’re in pain. We can dance like this.” I tilt my head back to look up at the night sky. “You look beautiful under them.”
“Under what?”
“The stars. I could look at you all night, every night, and continue to be awestruck.”
She dips her chin, peeking those brown eyes up at me.
“Oklahoma!” Jazz shouts, interrupting a perfect fucking moment.
I groan, debating if I want to give him the time of day. Nariko buries her face in my chest, laughing, and I cup the back of her head to keep her there.
Now that I’ve been so close, I’ll never want to be too far ever again.
“What, Jazz?”
“How do you feel?”
I spin to him, noticing Jazz and Westin are the only ones outside, besides Ruka, who is snoring in the chair. The ladies must have gone to bed. The fire isn’t as big as it was earlier. New logs haven’t been added, and the embers glow within the smoke, ash flowing into the air with every crackle.
“How do you feel compared to earlier?” Westin clarifies.
“What happened earlier?” Nariko asks, batting worried lashes at me.
I kiss her forehead. “Nothing, Sugar. I’m fine. I wasn’t feeling well, but I’m feeling pretty good right now. Much better with you in my arms.”
“I feel better too.” She draws something on my chest, her finger trailing over my shirt.
I have to tell her the truth. Soon. It isn’t fair to her to be tied to me and not know the reason why. Nariko is curious and kind. I have a feeling she’d take the news that I’m a vampire in stride. I truly don’t think she will care. She’ll want to ask questions so she can learn and understand. My red eyes and fangs haven’t scared her away yet.
