Page 110 of Vameer

Hands on her cheeks, I tip her head back and stare at her lips. “Open for me.”

Rune reaches up and grips my forearms. Then she parts her lips. Just a little.

A growl bounces from my chest to hers.

She opens her mouth further.

And my cock throbs painfully.

Fangs.

My perfect mate. Has. Fangs.

But she still smells of her own blood. “Where are you hurt?”

I push heat into my palms and skim them over her face. Neck. Chest. The spots of blood splattered across her skin turn to ash and flutter to the ground.

She lowers her arms to her sides, and my hands follow, radiating heat and cleaning her arms.

“It was just my lip.” Rune drags her tongue along her lower lip, where her new sharp fangs must have pierced the soft flesh.

Her clothes are still filthy with that first man’s blood, but now her skin is clean of it. And her lip has already healed.

Another vampire trait. Already working to protect her.

Rune shoves at my chest. “Where were you?”

I don’t move.

She shoves at me again. “I woke up, and you were gone.”

“I am sorry. I didn’t know this would happen.”

“And if it didn’t? Would you still have returned?” Her tone is sharp with anger. And hurt.

I move my hands back to her cheeks, hating the sound of her pain. “I was only going to be gone while you slept. I will not leave you. I will always return.” I remember the way her panic called me back to her. “You should have stayed inside. You should have waited.”

She narrows her beautiful eyes. “Waited? You wanted me to just sit there and⁠—”

“Sí. You wait for me.” Then I remember her trying to help me fight those mercs. And the fear she caused me, “You wait and you hide. You never put yourself in danger again.”

“I’m not just going to⁠—”

“You are going to. If you ever put yourself in harm’s way again… I will not react well.”

Face still in my hold, she lifts her brows. “This is you reacting well?”

“Rune—”

“I won’t just⁠—”

I tip her head to the side. And I slam my mouth to hers.

Infuriating woman.

She grips the front of my robe, kissing me back before she jerks her mouth away. “I’m telling you right now⁠—”

“Too much telling.” I move one of my hands to the front of her throat. “Not enough listening.”