Page 53 of Bonded Through Bite

“Make sure to stock up,” she finally says to Rafael and his eyebrows rise.

“I will,” Rafael tells her softly.

“I’ll get out of your way then,” she says, flicking her eyes to mine. I’m not sure what she means by that.

“Would you agree to staying inside when the pack gets here?” Rafael’s tone is hopeful, but his face shows signs of defeat even before she snorts. “I didn’t think so,” he says and points at the house. “Shower. And find some goddamn pants. If you flash anyone but us, there’ll be murder.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Samantha replies with a dangerous glint in her eyes and I’m sure we are in trouble.

“Maybe we could do some online shopping later,” I mutter and she beams at me.

“Go,” Rafael says and Samantha turns on her heel. She takes exactly two steps before we are both flanking her, and Rafael sweeps her up in his arms. Together, we blur back to the mansion and he deposits her on the porch.

Then the suicidal vampire swats her ass and points at the door. “Inside,” he commands her and Samantha’s eyes narrow into slits. One tug, and the shirt falls apart, leaving her naked. She throws a middle finger over her shoulder and stomps inside, leaving both of us with blue balls and aching fangs.

“We are doomed,” I curse as I follow her with my gaze until the door closes.

Chapter Nineteen

Rafael

As soon as Samantha is out of sight, Santiago whirls to face me.

“How is she so calm? What did you do? I can’t believe she let me touch her!” The words pour out of him in a torrent unlike I’ve ever heard from him.

“She knows you meant her no harm.”

“No, she doesn’t. Didn’t. I fucked up. I⁠—”

“San. She knows.” I cut him off. “Her instincts flared up, and you can’t blame her for that, but she knows.”

“I’m not blaming her! I’m blaming myself. Hell, how are you tolerating me⁠—”

I grasp his wet hair and yank his mouth to mine. Purely to shut him up. No other reason. The kiss is over before it even begins and I jerk back, cursing my own stupid instincts.

“I’m tolerating you because you pinning her to the bed turned her the fuck on. Because I know you’d never hurt her.”

“Oh.” He gasps and licks his lips.

“Oh, indeed. Now, we have a body to cover.”

“What did she mean by you stocking up?” he asks, eyes locked to my lips.

“Blood,” I rasp out. “I need to drink from you again.”

“Ahh,” Santiago hums, sounding hesitant before squaring his shoulders. “And she wanted us to do it outside? Out of sight, out of mind?”

“I think something along those lines. She can’t drink from you… doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to.”

Santiago relaxes at that, and I wonder what’s going on in his mind. I know my mind is focused on the vein on his neck. And the ache in my cock.

“Well, come on then,” he says, tilting his head.

Earlier, I drank from his neck because it was the easiest access with Samantha between us, but he’s offering his neck again.

I purr loudly and move closer.

“I can take from your wrist,” I offer, trying to give him an out. Baring a neck like that, it’s significant and I don’t want to presume.