AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Idohave the final say,” Colter retorted.
“Not over my life, you don’t,” I said. “I can decide what I want and don’t want to do, and if I want to risk it all for something that’s bigger than myself, then I’ll do just that.”
“Not on my watch!” Colter said, raising his voice. “You either don’t fully understand just how dangerous this is, or you have a death wish.”
“If you think I don’t understand, then explain it to me,” I challenged. “I’m not dumb, but if you hide stuff from me, there’s no way I’ll know.
Colter marched out of the dining room. I wasn’t going to let him storm away from me. Maybe he was used to being the king around here and having the last word—Rory had deferred to him being alpha—but he wasn’tmyalpha.
I stormed after him.
“Why am I here?” I asked.
“To keep you safe.”
“From what?”
Colter spun around in the hallway, anger etched on his features. His eyes were bright, his hands balled into fists, and I’d never seen him more attractive than now.
His fury made him so much hotter.
“Haven’t you been paying attention? The vampires want your blood. Your blood gives them power, and they’ll bleed you dry to get what they need to overthrow the whole hierarchy the way it is now.”
“They want your throne?”
“They want to be in charge of everything, and I’m not letting that happen. I was hoping we could work out some kind of alliance with them, but now that this whole thing has happened…” He threw his hands up in the air, exasperated.
“So it’s about power and who holds it,” I said.
Colter nodded.
“And by having me here, you make sure you’re the one holding it. You’re making it sound like I’m just a tool. You’re using me as a pawn in your game.”
“What?” Colter cried out. “That’s not what this is at all. I’m keeping you safe! Why does everyone make that sound like a crime?”
“Then let me help,” I challenged him again. “If you really have a bigger picture in mind, then let me help you get that machine and make a difference. If that machine is compromised, that sets the medical field back a couple of years, doesn’t it?”
Colter nodded.
“I don’t want that. We’re on the verge of a breakthrough, and if I want to save lives, it’s not your place to tell me I can’t. You may want power, but I want to save people.”
Colter stared at me, his jaw slack, lips parted. I couldn’t quite read the expression on his face. The atmosphere shifted, becoming thicker, and Colter’s eyes slid to my mouth.
“What?” I asked, my voice smaller and breathy now that the fight had gone out of me. Colter didn’t look at me like I was the enemy. He looked at me like he wanted to devour me.
“Who the fuck are you?” he asked.
I blinked at him. “What?” He’d askedwho,notwhat,as he had before.
Colter grabbed me and kissed me.
I froze when he kissed me. I’d dreamed about this. We’d had moments so charged with sexual tension, I’d ached for this, but this wasn’t a fantasy or a dream, it was real. His kiss was familiar—it felt as if our bodies had been made to fit together, and in a dreamscape, I’d been here before, but this was real. His touch made my skin tingle, shivers ran down my spine, and my stomach twisted. Butterflies erupted, and lust unfurled at my core. His lips were strong, his kiss demanding and gentle at once.
When his tongue slipped into my mouth, I sighed and melted against him. Fuck trying to fight this—I wanted him as much as he clearly wanted me. It was hard to figure Colter out. He had a hard exterior, tough to crack, but then he had moments where he was so soft and gentle and warm with me, it felt like we were completely connected and on the same page… only for him to shut down on me again.
You shouldn’t do this,the small voice of reason in the back of my mind said.He’s at the top of the food chain in a world that shouldn’t exist.
I didn’t care how much the little voice told me I shouldn’t do this—I craved him. The air filled with a spicy scent, and although I’d neversmelledarousal before, there was no doubt this was what it was.
