Eternal Sin by Laura Wright

have you taken to your bed since we were together?”
    “I never take anyone to my bed.” When her eyes lit with something far too soft, he amended the statement quickly. “Now, if you’re talking about a casual shag over the back of the couch, well, then . . .”
    “That’s disgusting.” She tried to get up, get off him.
    But he held her ass tightly. “No, veana . That’s normal, healthy fucking.”
    “No, Syn, that’s just you. Screw ’em and leave ’em.”
    His fingers dug into her ass and his voice dropped without his permission. “ You walked out on me . Let’s not forget that.”
    Her jaw worked and she stumbled slightly over her words. “I haven’t. I don’t.”
    “Good.”
    “Just like I won’t forget that you wanted to kill my father.”
    “Wanted to?” He started to laugh. “It may not have happened in that dungeon as I’d planned. But it will happen.”
    “I won’t allow it.”
    “You won’t be able to stop it.”
    Her fangs dropped. “I could kill you right now.”
    “Shhhh . . .” He grinned. “No empty threats in front of the balas .”
    Practically growling, she swatted his hands away and climbed off him. “It’s a promise. One I make to the balas . Protection from the evils of the world.”
    “Then we are both saying the same thing, Petra.” He watched her turn and walk out of the room, his body screaming for her to come back, make him warm again. Maybe even make him feel again. “Because like it or not, love,” he called after her, “accept it or not—grandfather Cruen is the evil of this world.”

7
    “T hey remain in the Rain Forest?” Cruen asked calmly, his gaze moving down the table, taking in the face of each member of the Eternal Order. “Why have they not been rescued?”
    There was no more mountaintop. No more snow, or Feeyan solo at his side. This time, Cruen stood before the ten, his feet ankle-deep in the very sand he had once conjured. Yes. Before the Order. Not behind the table where he’d ruled for so long. The shame was not lost on him.
    His jaw tightened. Gods, how had he fallen so far? How had he allowed a piece of British tripe to best him? Make him so weak and ineffective that he had been forced to piggyback to the Hollow of Shadows on one of his Pureblood guards?
    A fact he would never allow the members of the Order to learn. To the ten, he was only here on Eternal Breed business. His concern for one of his brethren, and his desire to protect the pure blood. And perhaps even his need for redemption for not only keeping the shifter world a secret but using their DNA to enhance the vampire race.
    “The Order has just returned from the Rain Forest,” Feeyan informed him coldly. “All I have heard is that one of the Purebloods is not a prisoner.”
    “And from whom have you heard this?” Cruen asked. “Who did you send?”
    “Me.” Dillon grinned from her seat, farthest down the table. “Hello, Daddy Dickest.”
    As the other Order members muttered under their breath, Cruen’s gaze narrowed on the vampire and jaguar shifter he’d adopted so long ago. The one who had run from him when she claimed one of his guards had touched her. Cruen had never been sure of what happened. But he was sure of Dillon’s penchant for deceit, and for turning the other mutore against him. This time, however, she would not interfere with his plans. “You are one mongrel I wish I had left in the ditch.”
    “Awww,” she said with heavy sarcasm, her head cocked to the side. “You’re still such a sweet-talker.”
    Feeling his blood heat to a dangerous, energy-stealing level, Cruen ripped his gaze from the female and turned back to face Feeyan. “What of the other Pureblood? Has he professed his wish to remain as well?”
    “Why is this any of your business?” Dillon continued brusquely. “Why are you even here? Because we all know altruism is not your thing.”
    His fangs started to descend. He should’ve drowned her when he’d had the chance.