What Rough Beast [Blood Oath 1] by Kari Gregg Page B

instinctively. If you ever loved me at all, Luc, don't move."
    "You're molesting my ward, and I'm not to move? Draining you hasn't affected your hormones, but it's made you feebleminded."
    "I'm fine. Go away, Luc,” she mumbled, but all she could think of was Garrick, touching him, the feel of him touching her. She wanted him inside her, his cock piercing her through. Nothing else mattered. Garrick might let Luc interfere, but Kate wouldn't. Garrick could make him go away if he wanted. She just needed to convince him to make Luc go.
    She flicked his nipple with the tip of her tongue.
    A vein throbbed at Luc's temple. “Get off her. Now."
    Garrick's lashes drooped with the erotic attention her mouth lavished on him, but he rubbed her back in frustratingly gentle strokes. “Her vampyr is too strong. She—"
    "Final warning.” Luc swung the sword in a practiced arc inches from Garrick's left ear.
    "No!” Kate snarled at the sword, the blade sharply menacing. She sank her teeth into Garrick's chest. He grunted, then threw his head back. Intimately linked with him, she shared his fierce wonder, his exhilaration, the pleasure and pain that rocketed through him. Her gluttonous satisfaction, his—who could tell? It was one and the same. They were one and the same.
    Kate vaguely heard the clatter of the sword dropping to the floor. Luc's shadow cast over her when he stumbled forward. “God help us. Bebe, no."
    "Don't. You'll hurt her,” Garrick said through clenched teeth when Luc reached for Kate. She growled at him, sucked, and greedily swallowed the precious blood that spilled from Garrick's chest. “She'll fight if you try to take her from me."
    "I nearly drained you dry an hour ago. She'll hurt you. Maybe kill you."
    She wouldn't. She'd never hurt him, never in a million years, but... It was so good. The taste she'd had earlier was a wretched shadow for the feast his body offered her now. The power and life fermenting inside him lashed out at her, sucked her in. Maddened her. She was drowning in him. Gleefully drowning.
    Luc crouched beside them, rubbed his eyes. “I should kill you myself.” Instead, he shoved his wrist to Garrick's mouth.
    Fighting for breath, Garrick arched an amused eyebrow.
    Luc scowled. “I drained you earlier, so it's your blood anyway. You could say I just borrowed it.” He winced when Garrick's teeth penetrated the meat of his wrist. “Besides, I need the stronger link to reach Kate."
    She knew only the hot splash of Garrick's blood at the back of her throat, the salty flavor of him. She loved the feel of his fingers digging into her scalp, pushing her to drink deeply, loved the wild beat of his heart just under her cheek, loved his decadent smell... More.
    "Kate."
    She ignored Luc's intrusion, focusing on Garrick and the banquet his body offered her.
    "Come away, cherie. You aren't ready for this."
    She knew the bite of her teeth hurt Garrick, but she couldn't help it. Luc would take her away. He must not take her away.
    "Your presence only threatens her, Luc."
    Luc cursed him but nonetheless drifted to the distant reaches of her mind.
    Kate felt his fury pound like rolling thunder.
    She paid him no mind.
    She groaned against Garrick's chest, drunk on the strength of his elder blood and the heavy weight of his hips pressing her into the couch, the hard length of his cock rubbing her slick, sensitive clit.
    "That's it, love. My blood is yours. My body is yours. Feed..."
    When finally her body slackened against his, her mouth less avid on him, Garrick released Luc's wrist.
    She curled into him, equal measures sated and exhausted.
    He smiled at her. "Don't sleep, love. Stay with me."
    She sighed his name, her eyelids unbearably heavy.
    Luc jabbed at Garrick's hip with an angry elbow. “Will you please get off my ward now?"
    "You know what must be done.” Garrick stroked her hair. The comfort of his body warmed her, reassured her.
    Luc shrugged. “You marked her before. Nothing has