59

And maybe if I could help get Dad back, I could go home. I glanced at Nic. He was a good man. I didn’t doubt that any longer. And… I hesitated, unwilling to even think the words that might cement how I felt in case they trapped me by his side, burdening him further. What if I explored my feelings, and I found myself unable to leave him?

And maybe I needed to leave him.

To save him.

That thought hurt. But ever since I’d entered his life, it seemed to have been consumed by violence or by saving me. I couldn’t live like that. Nic couldn’t live like that. How could I expect him to?

Innocent people had died when my dad’s exchange for me was demanded. Innocent fucking people. I couldn’t risk anyone else.

I touched Nic’s hand briefly and he glanced down at me, his smile quick to take control of his lips as he met my gaze.

I couldn’t risk him.

The boat jolted gently as we nudged up against a new jetty, this one looking even more dilapidated than the one where we’d found the skiff, the wooden post where Nic slung our mooring rope old and rotting.

He climbed out and as the boat rocked, Sebastian reached and steadied me. Nic offered him a small rumble of discontent, but it seemed to be generated on principle rather than being any sort of threat.

“It’ not far from here.” Nic held his hand out for me, and I joined him on the dock. “Let’s get you safe.”

A thin thread of guilt wound through my chest at his words. I didn’t deserve safety when I was the reason so many were in danger.

He twined his fingers with mine and tightened his hand, the gesture reassuring. Then he pressed a quick kiss to my knuckles. “I know this is all very strange,” he murmured.

“Things have been bordering on strange since I signed your contract,” I murmured back. “This is only an extension of that.”

He chuckled and kissed my knuckles again. “That’s one way to look at it.” He hesitated and glanced at me, the low light giving him an unusually vulnerable look. “Only strange?”

I hummed softly as I considered his question. “Strange and beautiful? Strange and dangerous? Strange and wonderful? Lots of things, but always strange.”

“I hope I can make things less strange for you in the future.”

Sebastian coughed a laugh behind us as we wound around trees, following… I had no idea what we were following. The path wasn’t marked.

“When the vampire king hopes to make things less strange,” Sebastian said, “maybe we’re all in trouble.”

Nic clutched my hand a little tighter, but he didn’t respond to his brother.

“How do you know which way we’re going?” I tried to look ahead but couldn’t make out anything but shadowy foliage.

Sebastian spoke again. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m following the scent of wet dog like it’s a goddamn stairway to heaven.”

“Yeah. Doing the same.” Nic faced straight ahead, and we kept moving forward until lights began to glint in the distance, winking through the trees and bushes as the leaves moved in the light breeze. “I think that’s the place.”

“Well, hopefully you brought us to the right safe house, brother.” Sebastian clapped Nic on the shoulder as he strode by him. “I’m ready to see how these wolves live out in the wild.”

As soon as the darkness swallowed Sebastian, Nic spun me, pressing my back against the bark of a nearby tree trunk. He kissed me with a desperate intensity I was used to now, and he wasn’t slow to demand entry to my mouth with his tongue. He pushed forward with his hips, rocking against me, the hard swell of his desire evident.

“You teased me in the car today,” he whispered against my ear before he trailed hot kisses down the side of my neck. “Tell me you always want me.”

I sucked in a breath. “I always want you,” I agreed, unable to tease him further by denying it. “I want you now.” I worked my hand between us, smoothing my palm over his cock, wrapping my fingers as far around it as his pants would allow. “I want you hard and fast. Inside me. Make me forget everything but you.”

His tongue dipped into the hollow by my collarbone before he drew it slowly up my neck, pausing where he usually bit me as he grabbed my ass and hauled me flat against him. “You make me want…so much. All of you. Forever.” He punctuated his words with frenzied kisses.

“I’m wet for you,” I whispered, and he groaned as he slipped his hand between my thighs.

“Right here?” I caught a flash of teeth as he grinned at me.

Sebastian coughed from too far away to see. “I came back to see if you two had gotten lost or found your way inside an alligator in search of his evening meal.”

Nic froze against me. “Go away, brother. We’re very lost indeed.”

Sebastian chuckled. “Then I’m afraid our hosts might arrange a search party.”

When Nic groaned again, it was pure frustration rather than sexual need, and he breathed deeply for a moment before pushing himself away from the tree, away from me. “Okay. Fine. Show us the way to the safe house.”

“Sebastian? Did you find them? Did they go the wrong way?” Aimée’s voice cut through the darkness now.

“Oh, they headed in another direction for sure, but I think I found them just in time.” Amusement rang in Sebastian’s tone. “They’re right here.”

“Oh, thank God. I was worried.” Aimée ran out of the night and caught me in her arms. “I was worried they’d gotten you, too.”