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Praying that it kept that way for a few seconds more, I grabbed the sides of the manhole and dropped down lightly, my rubber-soled shoes making little noise as they hit the tiles. I stayed in that half-squatting position, my heart racing as I listened again for any hint of movement.
Again, there was nothing. I crept forward, still half crouched. My barely healed leg protested, and pain slithered through my muscles. I ignored it and continued on.
The scent of vampire was stronger near the door, and seemed to be coming from the right. I couldn't see the blur of his body heat in the immediate vicinity, though, which was odd.
I risked taking a quick look into the hall. It was empty of life and unlife. There were three doors to the left, two of them open, the other dead-bolted. No need to guess who lay behind that door, I thought grimly. The only real surprise would be her condition. I had no idea what Blake's orders would have been for Lyndal, but given that he probably had measures in place to kill us all the minute anything went wrong, he might not have cared what the men did to her as long as she remained able to talk to Evin.>"Swearing our love at dusk, on the night of the full moon, will take away the emotional desire for others, but it doesn't actually kill the ability to have sex with anyone else. But the lack of desire might prove a problem considering you can't live entirely off my blood and you prefer to take blood during sex."
"Prefer, not must. And if swearing to the moon brings you and me together as one, then I will top up my blood the regular way - donations via the arm or neck of willing participants - or via that revolting synth stuff."
I frowned. "I thought you didn't like the blood whore clubs?"
"I don't. But there are certain establishments that cater to those who prefer their donations from those who aren't hooked on the giving, or who prefer little or anonymous contact."
I raised my eyebrows. "How can a donor be anonymous when you're sucking their neck or arm?"
"By the careful placement of screens."
"How come no one knows about these establishments?"
"Because their whole purpose is to cater to the rich and/or the famous - those who don't want to be seen consuming in public, and who can afford to pay for the privilege of anonymity."
"Ah. These things always come down to money."
"Of which I have plenty," he said. "So, how swish do you want our wedding?"
I laughed. "A werewolf ceremony is a simple one. You, me, close family - because we sure as hell won't be swearing anything without letting Rhoan and Liander in on the action - and the moon. Clothes are optional."
"Now, why am I not surprised about that?"
"It also involves sex."
"Given it's a werewolf ceremony, I'd be surprised if it didn't." He paused, and said reflectively, "Maybe that's why the ceremony with Eryn didn't work. We said the words but didn't go through the motions."
Eryn Jones was the wolf he'd been engaged to before I'd met him. Only, she'd used an experimental "love"
drug to snare him and had been after little more than his money. He'd caught her exercising her werewolf nature with several willing wolves, and he'd made her pay by snatching her memory and giving her a new life - that of a hooker.
He wasn't a man you ever wanted to betray.
"Well, all I can say is thank God, because otherwise we would not be here today."
He smiled. "So maybe I should start forgiving her?"
"Might be an idea."
He nodded, his expression somewhat distracted as he trailed his fingertip down my neck.
I licked my lips, and said, "So you're happy to go with the werewolf ceremony?"
"It's what you've always dreamed of, isn't it?"
"One of the things, yes."
"Then that's what we'll do. Although I wouldn't mind exchanging rings. I'm a big believer in those oldfashioned things."
"Something for me, something for you. It'll be perfect." I kissed his fingertips as they trailed back up and across my lips, then snuggled my body closer against his. Felt the hardness of his rising erection, the excited pounding of my pulse. "And do you know what would be the perfect way to celebrate our upcoming nuptials?"
"I think I can guess," he murmured, a heartbeat before his lips claimed mine.
