Page 51 of Fangbanger

“How you please me,” I tell her quietly, as if someone will hear. These words are only for her. My lovely slayer. The only one who has ever made me feel this way. She hums in her throat. Her magic drifts over my skin, caressing my back.

I nuzzle at the bites, licking them closed, kissing her neck. My mate. My wonderful, soft, strong, ruthless, protective, gentle, magic-filled mate. I kiss her again, but she doesn’t respond.

She’s shaking. I feel a hard stab of fear as I look down at her pale face. I have to untie her. I fumble with the manacles on her wrists, my fingers thick and my hands shaking.

I took too much. I wasn’t paying attention. She’s mortal, and the bond overwhelmed her. I overwhelmed her. I was too rough, too much, too strong. I ignore the wrenching pain in my stomach, an indication that the bond has move past coaxing and will now use pain as a lash to punish me for my nearness to her.

Her teeth chatter. Her eyes are shut, and she’s shivering under me. This is wrong. This is all wrong, and it’s my fault.

I finally growl and snap the manacles, uncaring that the metal is ruined and twisted, before I gently pull her wrists free.

“Little one.” I brush kisses on her eyelids, peel the tape from her mouth, wincing at the red marks on her skin. “Leah. Slayer. You hate that nickname. Open your eyes for me.”

Her lids flutter. Her gaze is unfocused. She’s shivering. I run my hands over her arms, feeling sick at the mess of new pink skin on her neck and the bites on her nipple that still trickle blood.

You do not deserve her, vampire.

“I’m cold,” she whispers.

I don’t know what to do. I’m not warm, not human. I have no softness inside or outside. I did not grow up with kind words, and I don’t know what to do to fix her.

She’s mine to protect. Mine to cherish. I gather her close to my chest, my cock still inside her, and flash her to the only place I know that will help.

33

LEAH

Ifeel disconnected. Cozy, but hazy. I smell lavender. Warm water laps at my waist. Distantly, I realize that Marcus is still inside me. He shifts to move me off him, and I dig my nails into his arm.

“I’ll stay,” he murmurs. “I’ll stay. I promise.” His chin rests on my hair and he gathers me closer. I can’t open my eyes, but my other senses unfurl. The vampire has me cradled against his chest. I’m straddling him. I’m sore. He’s inside me and I don’t want him to go. I don’t want to lose this connection.

He rocks me gently, and a flame lights inside my chest, behind my ribs. The awful pressure from earlier is gone.

“Open your eyes,” he croons. “Leah. Open your eyes and see your wings.”

My lids drift open. I see pale skin, then Marcus’s worried, handsome face. He shudders as I blink at him before he tips his chin. “Look,” he whispers.

I look. The breath catches in my chest. They’re not real wings, but pale gossamer wings of magic. They flutter in the mist.

“Look what you did.”

He sounds proud, and it makes me blush before I look back at him. I’ve never seen this look on his face before.

Awe. I think it’s awe. For me. It makes my chest pinch, makes warmth spread to the tips of my fingers. I feel lighter than I ever have before.

“What we did.” I smile at him. I know in my soul that this was both of us, that he unlocked something inside me that I’ve tried for my whole life to achieve.

He smiles tentatively back, as if he’s not sure that he can share this with me.

“You have a way with slayers, vampire.”

He chuckles, but it dies quickly. His thumb skates over my cheekbone. “What happened in there? Did I hurt you?”

“No.” I shake my head. “No, I just—it was a lot. The bond, the blood, the pleasure.” I’m fully pink now.

His gaze clears. “I didn’t take too much?”

I shake my head, and he sighs heavily before he draws me against his chest. “Turn on me,” he urges. He’s still hard, still thick inside me, and the stretch is delicious as I turn. “There we go.” He lets another breath out, and I wonder if he realizes that he’s acting human. Human, but not, if the way his dick twitches is any indication.