Captiva Craving - Vampire Werewolf Menage (Six Feet Under Series Book Two) by Talyn Scott

Maestru’s obsidian ones with cool calculation, one creature to another. Their periwinkle color, so much like cloudless, summer days, did not fool Maestru whatsoever. Werewolves’ eyes tended to change with their moods. A predator unlike the world has truly seen paced behind them, luring its prey. Nevertheless, Maestru would never be Rock’s prey. Whether the werewolf could admit to it or not, even to himself, Dakota was.
    Maestru had other plans.
    Dakota deserved more than being Rock’s chew toy.
    He took another step, and as he did, the Beast flickered towards mid-transformation. “I’m assuming,” said Maestru evenly, “that if she were your celestially given mate, you would be in your most dangerous form by now.” Sarcasm at its finest, no werewolf would allow a vampire this close to his mate unless the two were tightknit friends.
    “What she is to me makes no difference.” Rock snarled, “Don’t go near her.”
    Maestru released an exasperated sigh. “So I had you poisoned and took your queen, get over it .” Rock headed the queen’s security detail, and in that instance, he failed miserably.
    “I hold no special regard for the spoiled and arrogant.” Rock shook his head. “Those who cherish nothing yet expect everything. It’s no secret you will eventually fall by the Alpha’s bite.”
    How would he know what Maestru cherished? “Your queen is fine.”
    Their heads were leaning close, noses nearly touching. Rock’s heavily muscled frame readied to go the distance. “Are you telling me Tatum is your only crime?”
    “My patience is lost on you,” Maestru enunciated while ignoring his look of fury. “Move.”
    “When Jayce brings you down - ”
    “I’ll take you down with me,” he snapped, dismissing Rock with a wave of his hand. Even if they were not natural-born enemies, a male like Rock would never want Maestru hovering over a female he desired. More’s the pity , since Maestru also desired Dakota, felt an instant attraction to her when they met at Six Feet Under. And even though he wouldn’t claim her in a sexual way, selfishly bringing her into his dangerous immortal life as a Coven Master’s mate, he would never step back and allow another immortal to claim her. Last night was a narrow escape for the human, way too close. There would be no repeats with her. None. Seeing as the Coven Master always got what he wanted, he wasn’t too worried about Rock’s posturing over her.
    “No taking me down, vampire. I have no idea where you get your notions,” Rock said a touch too sedately for his tastes. “But here’s a little heads up for you.” He smiled, baring his thick canines. “Watch your fucking fangs, last pair you lost is tacked on the bulletin board in my office.”
    Maestru would never live that down. If he ever got his hands on Gage MacGelton… Ah, the Beast was a smart one, causing him to overthink and diverting his mind elsewhere. “Step away, I near this human as is my right, werewolf.”
    “No formalities are needed, Coven Master, please proceed,” Ryan said, appearing behind Rock and looking worse than he expected.
    Maestru brushed by Rock, glaring. “You’re kind of pushy.”
    “You’re kind of an asshole,” he shot back.
    He let his obsidian gaze roam Ryan. “You need to feed more.”
    “I lost a lot of blood.”
    “Take from me.” He looked at the towering werewolf. “You can excuse us.”
    “Not while she’s here,” Rock replied, crossing his mammoth arms over his chest. Now wasn’t the time to continue arguing. Dakota’s heartbeat skittered, struggling at some points or skipping altogether.
    He remembered what Dru said about the scant drops of Species blood, which kept her alive. “You haven’t been feeding her your Species blood, have you, Ryan?” Maestru hoped Ryan would realize how dangerous it was to donate to a human when he did not have a drop to spare. In addition, he didn’t want any bonding going on between his subordinate vampire