CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

I t felt strange to be in such a small home, not that you could call a mansion small. The property was absolutely stunning, set on a huge, private piece of land miles from anything and anyone.

Exactly what you wanted for a safe house.

Brianna sat down on the bed and stared out the window at the night sky. She figured two things right at that moment; her life had irrevocably changed forever, and she’d probably lost her job.

“What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”

She smiled up at the sexy male who had just brought their bags in. While Craig looked calm on the outside, she knew he couldn’t be. His entire race was in danger. She couldn’t imagine what he was going through.

During the drive to the mansion, she’d been monitoring the social media platforms and keeping them updated. It had been sickening. Everything from people asking for their elimination to demands to put them all on one island and nuke them, and the worst-case scenario: science experimentation.

She’d begun crying as she read it out to them, and Craig had pulled her into his arms.

“Hey, it’s okay. We knew what to expect. We’ve had hundreds of years to observe humans and their fear of anything different.”

“I’m not prepared,” Willow had cried.

“No one is getting near you,” Brayden had growled, reaching for her hand. “Put your phone away. I’ve heard enough. We know exactly what to expect from the humans. Your race.”

“Please don’t put me in the same category as humans.” That had gotten her a bunch of raised eyebrows. “Okay, fine, but surely there’s a way to resolve this.”

No one had said anything more after that, the rest of the drive tense and quiet.

Now she felt flat and exhausted after the roller coaster she’d been on the past few weeks. She was in love with a vampire and had just learned she was his mate. And if that wasn’t confusing enough, the vampire race was being hunted by humans—the most dominant and intelligent race on the planet, whether the vampires wanted to believe that or not.

Oh, and she couldn’t forget Stefano and his crazy ass vampires who were trying to destroy the royal family.

“Oh, you know, just trying to make sense of this new life of mine.”

He stepped closer and cupped her cheek. “I need to meet up with my team. Have a long shower and climb into bed. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Okay.” She nodded and accepted his solid, sure kiss on her lips before he left her.

Brianna had half expected Willow to show up, but her friend hadn’t, and she didn’t reach out to her. She had her shower and climbed into bed, trying to stay awake, but eventually succumbed to her wired exhaustion.

When she felt a large warm body wrap himself around her back and an arm slide underneath her, the world felt right again. She went to turn, but he held her in place, sliding a hand between her thighs. Heat bloomed immediately as his slick fingers threaded through her flesh, circling and opening her. A little noise escaped her lips, and he acknowledged her not with words but simply by a matching moan against her neck.

She was wet now as he lifted her thigh and pulled it back, opening her more. She arched a little, needing his fingers again. Her hand slid behind her, slipping down to grip his cock.

“I want this inside me.”

Next second he was over her, a huge, towering, solid presence. He tugged her legs wide and lifted her hips.

“I need you nice and wet, sweetheart.”

Leaning down, he sucked her clit and pressed a couple of fingers inside her. She felt clamped by his strong hands, unable to move or do anything but surrender to the skill of his tongue. Bri groaned as pleasure began to build.

“God, you taste incredible.”

“Craig,” she begged.

He sat up, still fingering her. “Good girl, always so juicy and ready for my cock.”

It was dark, but she could see he was stroking it.

“Take me in your mouth. Now.”

Her mouth wrapped around his cock, stroking it with her tongue and down her throat. He groaned and threw his head back.

“God, fuck, Bri,” he cried.

He reached and slapped her pussy. She groaned around his cock, and the next minute, he ripped out of her, pulled her legs around his body, and buried himself inside her.

“I just can’t fucking not be inside you.”

Thrust after thrust he went, both of them hanging on as he completely dominated her.

This man owned her, no question about it.