Immortals After Dark 03 - No Rest for the Wicked

understand why I was incensed? You can know my secret thoughts. And deeds. Have you seen me with other men?”
    “No, and my brother has told me that I won’t, because you are my Bride,” he said.
    “Have you seen why my emotions have returned?”
    He ran his fingers through his hair. “I believe I had something to do with it. You said as much that first morning.”
    “I spoke rashly.” At his look, she added. “It was coincidental.”
    “Perhaps I could believe the timing coincidental had you not been my Bride.”
    “So you figure I awakened you physically and you awakened me emotionally?” she asked in a scoffing tone. “Tea for two?”
    “Yes. Precisely.”
    “Even if that were true, it doesn’t mean we have a future together. I’m not what you need and will only make you miserable. This I can promise you. Besides, if I accepted you as mine, my family would ostracize me. I’d be shunned.”
    “Myst the Coveted doesn’t seem to concern herself with that.”

    Kaderin tilted her head, then grew very still. “What are you talking about?”
    “My brother’s wife, Myst.”
    She shot to her feet. “Myst may have the morals of an alley cat, but even she wouldn’t dare marry a leech.”
    “You do not know about this?” He frowned. “They’ve been wed for some time.”
    Kaderin was going to kick Regin’s glowing ass so hard...
    Myst had married... a vampire! Kaderin put her forehead in between her thumb and forefinger. “Your brother—he’s the Forbearer general who freed her from the Horde prison. Wroth. Nikolai Wroth.” I knew she wasn’t over him!
    “Yes. You’ve met him?” Sebastian asked.
    “I’ve heard of him.” And now that everything was becoming clearer, she realized she’d heard of Sebastian as well. The four Estonian brothers. Warlords so fierce and unyielding as humans they’d even drawn Lore attention.
    They’d been fierce and unyielding—defending their people.
    He studied her expression. “I wonder if this news helps my cause or hurts it?”
    “I... I don’t know... anything.” Not anymore. So Forbearers were fair game? No, Dasha and Rika would never stand for her accepting a vampire.
    “Then just tell me one thing, Kaderin. Do you ever think about me when I am away?”
    Lie to him. Could she have an affair? Of the most illicit kind? Just to enjoy his responsive body for one night?
    Myst had freaking married one! And Myst was a pagan like her! Kaderin doubted very seriously that General Nikolai Wroth had agreed to wed in accordance with orthodox paganism.
    A bond like marriage was a huge deal for Valkyrie and for immortals in general. Until death do us part took on a whole new meaning when both parties could potentially live forever.
    No, Kaderin couldn’t have an affair. Not when she was Sebastian’s Bride. Because he would never accept only that and she could never give him more. “Think about you? Sebastian, I’m a busy person. I don’t spend a lot of time with introspection. How about I leave that up to you?”
    “What does that mean?”
    “Seems like all you did for three centuries was think .”
    He was furious, as she’d planned. “You know nothing—”
    A roar sounded to their left, shaking the cave. And then, from their right, another one answered. Somewhere even farther in the distance, a third called.
    They were nearing, gathering.
    Here.

22
    K aderin leapt forward, tackling him into the dirt.
    A quick kiss, seal the deal. Get him to move the rocks . She grabbed his stunned face, then pressed her lips to him.
    Quick. To get what she wanted. Stop lingering! “There. I kissed you,” she said, sounding breathless. “Now, move the damned rocks—”
    His hands landed heavily on her ass, forcing her against his already hard shaft. When she couldn’t prevent a moan, he took one hand and clutched her nape, pulling her down. He took her mouth with his own, slipping his tongue between her lips, sweeping it against hers.
    The hand on her ass moved between her legs, cupping her firmly. She gave a startled cry against his lips, and before she could stop herself, her knee shot up to allow him more access.
    He groaned, rubbing and kneading her there with his big palm, his mouth slanting against hers over and over. His kiss was desperate, a night before the gallows kiss.
    They were rolling in the dirt in the face of attack, both of them sweating, his sword hilt poking her hip bone, and she couldn’t get enough of his taste.
    He flipped her over,