The Bloodline War by Tracy Tappan

in his all-black warrior gear, which meant he’d just come off duty. He was running late tonight, but then the warriors always went on super high alert whenever there was a new acquisition in town. Until a woman was marked through mating to a Vârcolac, she was up for grabs as a potential reproducer by their Om Rău neighbors, making her dangerously vulnerable to capture.
    Arc headed into the master bathroom, shut the door, and turned on the shower. She tucked her hand beneath her cheek as she pictured him undressing, his clothes falling away to reveal the broad shoulders, solidly sculpted chest, and ripped abs of a natural born soldier. He had a fantastic body, hands down the best of any man she’d ever been with. Which was saying a lot, because, modesty aside for a moment, she’d never lacked for some seriously handsome boyfriends in her dating years.
    The shower turned off and she heard Arc moving about, brushing his teeth and such.
    She continued to stare at the clock. Shh-flip …another number.
    The bathroom door opened, releasing a cloud of steam. Arc padded over, fiddled with his alarm clock, then climbed under the covers on his side of the bed.
    Two warriors out on the street exchanged quiet greetings as they changed the watch.
    Shh-flip ….
    Her husband edged over and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her close against his hips.
    “Arc!” She jabbed an elbow into his abdomen. “Quit it!”
    Laughing softly, he nuzzled her neck. “You are awake. I knew it.” The hard length of him prodded her rump.
    “Yes, but not in the mood.”
    “Hmm, no? Well, why don’t we see about getting you in the mood.” Setting a hand on her hip, he rolled her onto her back and smiled that smile of his which always turned her belly to sugar. Oh, God, why did he have to be so handsome?
    Moonlight—well, really specialized stadium lighting—was leaking in through a crack in the curtains, cutting across the hard contours of his bare chest and turning his blond hair silvery white. His body heat wrapped around her like a cocoon of intimacy and his scent washed over her. Freshly showered male. Was there anything sexier?
    He trailed a hand under her nightie, skimming over her belly toward her—
    She slapped his hand away and lurched to a sitting position, clutching the afghan to her breasts to hide nipples that had gone erect with laughable speed. “Honest to Pete, Arc, stop it, would you? I’ve had a rotten day.”
    “Tell me about it, baby.” His fingers danced over her knee. “Your clothing order arrive messed up or something?”
    She scooted away, giving him her best glare. Not a very good one, since glaring wasn’t one of her specialties. He just widened his smile, not taking her seriously at all. “The five of us Dragons met with Toni today, Arc, and it was awful.”
    Arc levered himself up on an elbow, discreetly inching back toward her. “It’s always tough at first, but things eventually smooth out.”
    “This time they won’t. I’m warning you, Arc.”
    His eyes glimmered out of the shadows. “Sassiness. Now I’m really getting turned on.” He wrapped a brawny forearm around her waist and hauled her back over to him.
    She shoved away again.
    He sighed. “You have two wonderful children, a rewarding career, a community that adores and supports you, no financial concerns, and a husband who’s absolutely crazy in love with you. What’s the complaint here, Beth?”
    “This community takes women against their will, Arc. I’d think that’d be sort of a big duh of an answer.”
    His lids hooded.
    She bit her bottom lip. “The Dragons are really upset that you’ve taken another woman, Arc.” She didn’t want to betray the secret meeting, but maybe if she just talked to Arc and got him to understand the Dragons’ position, then life could return to being peaceful. “There was a big hullabaloo about it at Toni’s tea today. They want to…. It’s time to…take a stand about it.” She flung a