“Yes.”
It was as if I had unleashed him. With a growl, he lifted me in his arms and pressed me against the nearby stone wall. This was exactly what I wanted—his body against mine, the only thing filling my mind. I never wanted it to stop.
His hips moved with decadent friction, making me moan as my nightgown bunched around my hips. He pulled back, taking me in with a breathless gaze. “You are intoxicating,” he gasped.
Then his lips met mine. I could never get enough of Roman’s kisses. My hand tangled in his soft curls, savoring how they twisted around my fingers. His tongue danced with mine, and he moaned, the sound reverberating through me.
He broke away, panting. “I’ve thought about this since the city. Thought about how good you would taste, how feeling you tremble beneath me would drive me fucking crazy.”
I arched my neck, pressing my head against the stone. “Then take it.”
His gaze held everything—desire, need, and a rapidly snapping restraint. We hovered on the edge of something I wasn’t sure we could come back from. I wasn’t sure I wanted us to.
Then his fangs pierced my neck.
There was only a moment of pain before it transformed into the most intense, exquisite pleasure I had ever felt. My gasp turned into a moan. The noises escaping him were feral, and mine weren’t any more human.
Pleasure consumed my thoughts. The world around us blurred, and I couldn’t tell if it was his power or my lack of comprehension. All I knew was the press of his excitement against my wet center, his arms tightening around me, and his lips on my neck.
His wings stretched out, shimmering like onyx in the moonlight. My angel of night, ready to carry me away on shadowed wings. I saw stars, but I didn’t care. I would let him consume every part of me if it meant this pleasure would never end.
But it did. Roman lifted his head, his mouth parted, revealing his stained fangs. He looked magnificent, even undone like this—especially undone like this.
“We shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t be doing this.” He set me down on the gravel and stepped back, his eyes tortured. “I hope you can forgive me, doll.”
The loss of contact felt like having a bucket of ice water thrown on me. I shivered and stepped forward, not caring how vulnerable I appeared. “I wanted you to.”
He stepped back, maintaining the distance. “Estrella, I can’t?—”
“—Please, Roman. Don’t make me leave. I don’t want to be alone.” Tears brimmed, and I hated myself for it. Hated how weak I felt, hated how much he affected me.
“I said get away from me!” he roared, loud enough that the very ground beneath us shuddered. He stepped forward like he was pulled by some invisible force until I was able to see what I hadn’t while curled in his arms. He had grown several inches, towering over me like a demon of the night with jagged swirls of black curling over his exposed skin like beautiful, horrifying artwork that ended at the blackened talons curling from his fingertips. His fangs, stained pink with my blood, were bared at me.
My heart stuttered. I had never feared himbefore—I still didn’t. I would never fear him, but my survival instinct was kicking in. The man before me was a predator, and I was his preferred prey. Vampires covered that truth with fancy suits and glasses of wyne, but it was impossible to hide in their beast forms like this, under the light of a full moon.
The most terrifying part was accepting that, despite the truth in front of me, everything within me still wanted him. Still wanted those arms covered in arcs of his power wrapped around me. Why couldn’t he see that?
His eyes widened as the stiff silence hung between us. He recoiled farther away from me like he feared hurting me, each step like a spring being pulled tight between us, tugging on my heart. As if he didn’t understand the only thing hurting me right now was the absence of his touch.
“I’m sorry, doll. You have no idea how much danger you’re in.” His teeth were gritted, his eyes glistening with pain. “Please, go back to your room. Don’t come out again until morning.”
Nothing I said would change his mind. I straightened my robe and walked away, my cheeks wet with tears as I retreated to the isolation of my room when all I wanted was to be in his arms.
Chapter 25
ROMAN
She was a magnifier.
I had suspected it since the first time I tasted her, but now there was no doubt. My power had practically exploded the moment I bit down. Thank the Gods I hadn’t hurt her, but I had come alarmingly close. If she had argued with me any longer, I wouldn’t have been able to deny her—or myself. I hoped she could forgive me. The sound of her begging nearly shattered me. To be the cause of her tears felt wretched, but the alternative was far worse.
Who would have thought she wasactuallya magnifier? I couldn’t recall the last time I heard of one, but that didn’t mean they weren’t out there. Any vampire who found one would hoard them like a dragon and take the secret to their grave.
Just like I planned to do.
It was late morning, and the bloodlust from the full moon was finally receding. My generals would be arriving soon, and I needed to talk to Estrella before then. I strode to her door, my vision so sharp it was dizzying, and my wings refused to fold away. With her blood coursing through my veins, I felt alive.
I made a quick trip to the kitchen to throw together a breakfast of water, toast, and jam. I also brought a pot of ginseng tea and twocups. Though vampires’ throats were too small for solid foods, we found some things like tea and broth flavorful, and ginseng tea was my favorite. Tray in hand, I marched to Estrella’s room. I hoped the tray was acceptable. I’d watched Bells cook enough times to have an idea, but the bread looked a little dark. Not sure what that meant, but hopefully, it was good enough.
