Page 54 of Vanquished Gods
His gaze dropped to my throat, and my heart slammed against my ribs. The air between us sizzled as he slid his hand around my waist, the heat of his touch branding me through the thin fabric of my dress. His other hand tugged mine away from my neck, his eyes still locked on my throat, both desire and hunger simmering there.
Without even thinking about it, I leaned back, baring my neck like an offering. It’s what vampires did—they made you want them to bite you, to give yourself over to them. It wasn’t even a fight.
So, when his lips brushed my skin, softly, tentatively, I didn’t pull away. Instead, I melted, my body turning to liquid fire under his touch. What defense did I have against him, really?
Already, my heart was pounding, my skin tingling. As his tongue slid over my throat in slow, deliberate strokes, heat swept through my core, spreading like molten desire through my blood.
My arms found their way over his broad shoulders, my fingers threaded into his hair. I pulled him closer, his magnetism radiating over me as his powerful body pressed against mine. Pleasure rushed through me, a wild need coursing through my body. I could imagine him taking me there, now, his body pressing me against the column, my legs around his waist.
In fact, one leg already seemed to be hooked around him, and my dress was riding up.
When he pulled back, his eyes locked on mine, blazing with raw, carnal need. His lips pressed against mine, the kiss starting softly, teasingly, but quickly turning possessive. Demanding. He kissed me like he owned me, like I was his and always would be. His tongue claimed mine, a searing heat that sent shivers down my spine. On my lifted thigh, his hand slid beneath the slit of my dress, gripping the curve of my backside, his fingers digging in with delicious pressure.
Tangling my fingers in his hair, I pulled him even closer, my body arching against him. His growl rumbled through me, making my thighs clench with need.
Gods, I needed this dress off. I neededhim.
My nipples tightened against the thin silk of my dress, and heat pooled low in my belly, aching for more. For all of him.
When he finally broke the kiss, his teeth grazed my lower lip, and the sharp jolt of pleasure had my body trembling.
“More,” I whispered, barely able to breathe.
His eyes blazed with a wicked hunger. “So desperate for me now, my witch. But wasn’t it all about healing just a few moments ago?”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, snapping reality back into focus. My heart pounded in my chest, and the nameRowenaechoed in my mind. He wasn’t kissing me like I was just another conquest—but wasn’t that exactly what this was?
I loosened my fingers from his hair, forcing myself to breathe, trying to slow the racing of my pulse. I pulled my leg away from him, as if dousing myself in ice-cold water could somehow freeze the heat that still lingered on my skin. Just that morning, he’d been with someone else. Of course he had—he was a vampire king, not someone who stuck around. He wasn’t exactly husband material, was he?
“Right,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “Well, that was the amoris.”
A line creased his brow, the gold in his eyes starting to return as he stared at me like I’d just spoken in tongues. “What the fuck isamoris?”
“The vampire magic that turns people on.” I folded my arms, trying to force the lusty thoughts from my mind.
The confusion on his face slowly morphed into something else—delight. A slow, wicked smile curled his lips. “Is that what you think this was?”
“It’s true. I just experienced it.” My words were a little sharper than I’d intended.
Sion’s smile deepened, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Except it’s not a thing, witch. What you just experienced was me. Only me. Sion.”
I continued trying to gather myself, smoothing my dress as I stepped back, putting some space between us. I could feel the flush creeping up my neck. “We’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“Sure.Amoris.” Clearly, he was enjoying this far too much. “By the way, I’ll be staying in your room tonight.”
The clarity that had been slowly slipping back into my mind sharpened all at once. Whatever this was—this pull between us—it didn’t change the facts. I had to keep him at arm’s length, no matter how beautiful or intoxicating he was.
I shook my head. “We might be allies, Sion, but you’re not staying in my bed.”
CHAPTER 25
Icrossed back to the lunarium’s window, still trying to steady my breath. The moon hung high, casting its silver light over the rocky earth below, while vampire soldiers poured out of the castle. They moved in tight formation, already heading toward Veilcross Haven, their shields and armor gleaming like the scales of a massive serpent winding through the night.
“You’re sure Veilcross is safe?” I asked, unable to tear my eyes away from the soldiers.
Sion’s hand closed gently around my bicep, pulling me from the window. “There are walls around Veilcross for a reason. But I’m sending more men to reinforce them. Now, we’re going back to your room. You’re at the greatest risk, and we don’t have gates here to stop vampires.” His low, commanding voice brooked no argument.
I turned to him, confusion tightening in my chest. “What do you mean, I’m at the greatest risk?”