Page 13 of Crimson Shifter

Her fingers tightened in my hair to the point of pain, and one second she was the one on her back, and the next it was me, her straddled atop me, her free hand at my throat.

She yanked away from our kiss, her eyes lust-hazed but triumphant as she smirked down at me.

“Idohave a weapon I can use against you,” she said.

It took everything in my willpower to lock down each and every one of my muscles.

To not sit up and bring our mouths back together again.

To not raise my hands from where they laid at my sides and grab her hips and make her come right there even though she was fully dressed.

She looked more than fuckable, all flushed skin and swollen lips, her fangs out as she sat atop me.

“You took me off guard,” I said in the most aloof voice I could muster. “I'll give you that.”

She smiled, revealing more of those gorgeous fangs, and then she rolled her hips, her heat grinding over my hard cock.

I growled.

“I don't think all I did is take you off guard,” she said, but there was a little hitch in her voice that told me she wasn’t unaffected by what she was doing. The little tease. “I think it's definitely more than catching you off guard,” she continued, moving over me, making herself shiver as she shamelessly rocked against my cock.

I bared my fangs as I raised up on my elbows, bringing our mouths closer together. I could see the hunger in her eyes, could see her absolutewillingnessto keep this going if I allowed it.

“So this is your solution? You're going to seduce every enemy you come up against?” I tilted my head, raising up even more so we were face to face, our chests flush.

“It worked on you,” she said, her hand still at my throat, her nails slightly scraping my skin.

“Maybe,” I said. “But it won't work on everyone. And I'm trying to train you for those who will not be fooled by that mouth of yours.” I moved quickly, lifting the both of us to our feet and putting a good six inches between us. I never lost her gaze though. “So, for now,” I said, my eyes trailing over those lips that would haunt me. “Keep your fucking mouth to yourself.”

CHAPTER 6

Cassandra

“Cassandra, are you even listening to me?” My mother's voice broke through my thoughts, and I blinked a couple times, reorienting myself in the present.

I had not been listening to her.

I'd been reliving my training session with Talon last night. I'd been feeling his lips on my skin, his body against mine, pinning me to the floor. I'd been feeling the rush that was actually and finally beating him. Yes, I'd had to stoop to a different kind of surprise attack, but it’d worked, and either way, I’d really needed a win.

What I hadnotneeded was the distraction be so good I tuned out what could’ve been vital information.

“I apologize,” I said, adjusting my posture to make sure it was perfect where we sat facing each other at a little table that’d been set up by Joffrey on the veranda. It overlooked the gorgeous, lush jungle below the estate, the stars sparkling like diamonds in the midnight sky.

I could hear the waves crashing from the beach not too far from here, and if I was sitting with literally anybody else, it would have been peaceful.

“It's been so long since I've returned home,” I continued, drawing up my most apologetic mask. “I'm distracted by the beauty of this place.” I motioned to the area surrounding us, and my mother's eyes softened.

“Quite understandable,” she said. “If you came home more often, you wouldn't be so distracted.” She snapped her fingers, giving Joffrey some sort of practiced looked, and he disappeared for a moment.

“I will ensure that the length of time is never as long again between visits.” The lie didn't even taste bad in my mouth. I had no guilt when it came to the female before me, despite the way I may be acting. Despite playing the role of the simpering, submissive, and dutiful daughter.

“I was just saying how wonderful you’re looking compared to the first day that you came. The island is doing wonders for you. Your skin is practically glowing in the moonlight.”

I was about to open my mouth to say thank you, but was stopped as Joffrey returned with a human in tow.

This human was not unlike the one we’d sampled the first night. He was young, gorgeous, and looked practically catatonic as Joffrey led him to our table. He unsheathed a blade from his inner pocket, holding the human's wrist over Mother's empty crystal coupe, the blade dragging across the human’s skin so easily it was like a knife cutting through butter.

His blood flowed into the coupe, and Joffrey reached for mine, filling it before filling a crystal decanter to the brim and setting it in the middle of the table. He wrapped a napkin around the human’s wrist, but the poor thing could barely stand at this point. In fact, he looked quite green.