Unleashed: The Cursed Trilogy, Book Two by Betty Legend (little bear else holmelund minarik .TXT) 📗

“Where?”

“We don’t know.” Cyrus puts his glasses on, sighing heavily. “Somewhere private, probably a place hidden with magic like here.”

“He’s a clever son of a bitch.”

“We need to find her before he accidentally hurts her.” Griffin’s authoritative tone is laced with fear.

“What about your mating bond?” Emeric asks. “Think you can track her?”

“It’s a new bond, so it’s weak, but I can try. I need to get close to where she might be, and I’ll need back up while I’m in wolf form.”

“You’ll have plenty of back up,” Emeric smirks.

“We’re all going with you,” Cyrus declares.

CHAPTER FOUR

SELENE

Leaving the bathroom with my hair towel-dried and another hugging my body, Phoenix is standing outside the door with a glass of water. His exceptional hearing must have given him a heads up.

“Here, I imagine you’re thirsty.” His dark, thin brow rises. “I am.”

“Have any blood bags in the fridge?” I take the cup and moisten my parched mouth.

“No.” He folds his arms. “I prefer it right from the vein.”

“Was that your plan when you invited me to your party?”

“Yes, but I also wanted to get to know you.”

That comment takes me by surprise.

“I’m sorry you lost vampires you cared about that night.”

Phoenix drops his arms, walking off toward the open bedroom.

“It’s not something I want to discuss but thank you.” He slides a closet door to the right, revealing a walk-in closet with many fashionable clothing options.

“Can we talk about the fact that the other guys will go nuts searching for me? You know that, right?”

Phoenix disappears inside the closet. I walk toward it, getting a better view of him removing his jacket and shirt. I won’t deny I find Phoenix physically attractive. He’s tall and lean with a hard, sculpted body. With his back to me, I notice a symbol branded into his skin on the back of his shoulder. I recognize the symbol from the books Cyrus gave me to study. It’s the blood magic element symbol.

Watching him remove his pants, my eyes follow his long, muscular legs and roam over the tight curve of his ass. Why does a man so uniquely beautiful have to be so cruel?

“I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before they find us.”

Turning to face me, he’s completely nude, and it takes me by surprise. He’s a well-endowed vampire, and my traitorous body responds to the delicious view in front of me.

“Like what you see?”

I look away to the black end table next to his bed, the sparkling lamp, then the painting, my painting, above the bed.

“You put up one of my paintings.”

He comes out of the closet, and the hairs on my neck rise as he comes nearer.

“I did. I meant it when I said your art didn’t disappoint.”

“But I did?”

The thought stings I might’ve been a disappointment to him, that he didn’t want me, maybe because I’d looked forward to meeting him. I had been open to getting to know him after we met at the gallery.

“You didn’t disappoint me, Selene. The curse did. I had a life and someone I was sharing it with. I didn’t have an interest in sharing a woman with four other men.”

Cool air grazes my skin from the sudden removal of the towel from my body. Phoenix is quiet and quick, too quick. I cover my breasts with my hands, and he smirks, then lifts me like I weigh nothing and throws me on his bed. My body bounces, and I try to shove my legs closed, but he’s too fast. His body is between my spread legs, his hands bracing them open as his ice-blue eyes glimmer with hints of red, making them an eerie purple. All predator, there’s an obvious hunger in his eyes as he removes the space between us. Wiggling away from him, I move farther back on the bed. He watches with his lip curled in amusement, then grabs my ankle and yanks me back to him.

My palm smacks against his chest. “I don’t want to bond like this.”

Phoenix sits on his haunches. “I have no intention of forcing myself on you or attacking you. I’m taking the deal promised to me, just choosing to take it from a different part of your body.”

My eyes widen, and I snap my legs shut. “You’re not biting my vagina!”

“Oh, but I am. Don’t fight it. I promise you’ll like it.” A salacious grin tilts his lips.

I can’t help wondering if he’s right.

“That night. You weren’t going to stop drinking from me. I was about to pass out.”

“I was severely injured. I couldn’t control my thirst. Tonight, I will. I need you to trust me.”

“But I don’t trust you. You’ve been cruel to me.”

“We all have darkness in us, Selene. Mine is just closer to the surface.” Spreading my legs, he caresses his hand along the inside of my thigh. “You have to trust me if we’re ever going to bond.”

His fingertips graze my opening, and my head falls back at the pleasure it causes.

“Don’t hurt me, Phoenix.”

“But pain makes the pleasure so much more exquisite.”

I close my eyes as his tongue licks my clit, sending a rush of pleasure through my body. Fingertips grip the sides of my legs as he sucks and licks. My own hands fist the blanket as the pleasure builds. This vampire is not without skills when it comes to female anatomy. He takes me on an ascending climb with each flick of his tongue. My body arches in response to the blood rushing south, then I feel them, the prick of his fangs, a pinch of pain, mixing with the pleasure of his graceful tongue, not vicious like it was before. A pleasured moan escapes me as I ride the wave of pulsing pleasure until it builds into a bursting release. My orgasm is claimed by his erotic kiss, and he doesn’t pull away until he’s satisfied.

I’m dizzy with lust and contentment when he rises from between my legs. He wipes a droplet of blood