Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 99285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
The next thing I heard was Adryan speaking, his voice deep, rich, and authoritative. It was also low, as if he didn’t want to be heard or maybe didn’t want to wake me.
I kept my eyes shut, not because I was trying to feign sleep, but because my entire body ached in the best of ways, the memories of what I’d done with him—let him do to me—like one of these weighted blankets that eased me.
My feet hurt, burned slightly, the recollection of running barefoot outside in the cold not my smartest move. But it felt like I had socks on, thick, soft, cozy ones that I knew weren’t mine, seeing as Adryan had carted me away to his beautiful prison in the middle of nowhere.
There was a blanket over me, light enough that I wasn’t overheated using it while being close to the fireplace. But I was bare from the waist down, and that realization of why made my heart race and my body heat for another reason.
My legs were sore, and my inner thigh… I couldn’t even continue with that thought, because I’d be aroused all over again, thinking of the memory of him biting me and drinking my blood.
Oh God, I have to be dreaming, locked in purgatory, where I’m entertaining ideas of men who are vampires and an entire world of creatures who should only be in books and movies.
“I don’t give a fuck, Kane,” Adryan growled, and my body softened in the most erotic way at that angry, brutal tone. But despite his harsh tenor, he still kept his voice low. “And I said I don’t give a shit if the wolves are pissed about the change of plans.”
I heard him starting to move around the room, the heavy, even sound of him pacing back and forth frightening on its own. Because he seemed like a man who was never fazed, never let anything bother him.
“Things have to wait,” he grated out. “Yeah, because I have more important fucking things I’m dealing with.” A second passed before Adryan laughed, but it wasn’t one of humor, and I found goose bumps moving along my arms. “Yeah. I have found her, and don’t fucking act like you don’t know. I saw the way you were staring at her.” His voice dropped even lower, malice and threat laced in those words. “Don’t ever fucking do that again. She’s not yours to think about, let alone look at. This is your one and only warning, and pass that fucking message on to your brother too.”
My heart was pounding so hard it hurt behind my ribs, and my breathing picked up. There was no way he didn’t know I was awake by now.
“She’s fucking mine, and I’m not risking her for anything.” A beat of silence passed. “The Assembly fuckers are gonna pay for the simple fact that they got close to what’s mine.” Another pause. “Yeah. Yeah, I know there might be pushback from the wolves, and I fucking know Odhran wants to go after them because of his female. But his mate isn’t mine, and therefore I don’t give a fuck.”
Wolves? Oh God. This was going from insane to totally off-the-rails bizarre.
“Cian will fucking understand, and if he doesn’t, well, I don’t fucking care about that either.” Adryan breathed out, and I finally opened my eyes, staring into the fire. “Of course Odhran isn’t going to understand. The fucker is more unhinged right now than I am, and that’s saying a hell of a lot, since we all know how fucking crazy I am.”
The ache in my body and sleepiness had since vanished as my reality set in. I wasn’t safe, not with those men having broken into my house to do God knows what to me. But was I really safe with Adryan?
“We do this on my terms and by my rules. I’m the one whose territory those fucking Lycans are on. If they want the vampires’ help, they’ll fall in line. And if they try any-fucking-thing without my permission, I’ll take every single one of those bastards down myself.”
I licked my lips at the lethal threat behind his words. For long minutes I listened to Adryan finish his conversation, sensing him behind me, wondering what the next step in all of this would be. We had to talk, and I had to figure out what in the hell was going on and what all of this meant for me.
“Tell the fucking Lycans that if they have a problem, go ahead and give me a call. Or better yet, tell Cian and his boys to fucking come over. Not like I keep wards protecting my shit. I’m the most dangerous fucking vampire and welcome a challenge, especially if a bunch of dogs want to come into my territory and not play by my damn rules.”