Nibbled by the Vamp(20)

“Wren—” Brom’s voice was soft, soothing.

“No.” Griffin cut in. “This is a discussion to be had between me and my Fire alone.” With halting, uneven steps, it was her vampire that led their walk. “Don’t disturb us unless the house is going down in flames and the devil himself is here to supervise.”





Chapter Five





Griffin’s heart thudded heavily in his chest, the strain of recovery and Wren’s tumultuous emotions tugging on him with every step. He grasped the stair railing, using the highly polished wood for support while they traversed the steps. He forced one foot in front of the other until they reached the landing. Taking a right, it was another fifty feet to his room.

He’d always had his own space in Carac’s mansion. Each Protector had carved out their places inside the sprawling home.

Door unlocked, it took a simple twist of the knob to gain access and then he brought Wren deeper into room. Déjà vu struck him as he watched her pad through his second home, fingers trailing over the more modern furnishings.

At the bed—large and sprawling, covered in the simplest of blankets and pillows—she slipped off her shoes and crawled atop the soft surface.

Griffin could feel her heartbreak, the pain and reality of their situation having finally crashed down. He made his way toward her, careful with every jarring step. His bare feet sunk into the plush carpet, and for the first time, he realized he had been redressed as he slept. Flowing cotton pants and a loose shirt replaced his normal, tight black attire.

Without pause, he crawled atop the bed with his Fire, eased to the center of the mattress and used what little energy he had to draw her close. Her head resting on his chest, he brushed a gentle kiss across her brow.

“I’m so sorry, love. I don’t like the way we bonded, but I wouldn’t change anything. Having you by my side makes me look forward to eternity.”

Wren nuzzled his chest, rubbing her cheek against him and he hated the fabric covering him at that moment. He craved the feel of her skin against his. It’d been two weeks since he’d enjoyed her body and truly savored her blood. Yes, they’d bonded, but he hadn’t been awake during her final exchange and he’d forever regret that.

“I know.” Her voice was soft, barely a whisper. “I’m having a hard time with this, though.”

“I know, love, I know.” Griffin did. His first reaction to the prospect of eternity without his loved ones had been intense rage. He’d roared and fought against the man who’d turned him, his sire, seething at his new life. He’d contemplated ending it all. Vampires were difficult to kill, but not immune to a death blow. A blade to the neck could slay anything.

A delicate sniffle reached his ears and he fought to ignore the sound, struggling against the shattering of his heart. Their bodies were one and he could barely stand the heavy weight of her pain.

More of Wren’s weight settled against him and he relished their closeness, enjoyed the feel of her curves aligned with his length.

“My life is so fucked now.”

Griffin smiled. “No, you’re not fucked, at the moment. But, yes, things will be different. With the threat hanging over you as well as the Protectors, we’ll have to tighten security. For the time being, you’ll have to leave your job and stay with me.”

“I like my job.” Another sniffle that tore at his heart. “Okay, I don’t like my job. But I didn’t hate it. What will I do now? I can’t just be your chew toy.”

He squeezed her in a gentle hug. “No, I won’t force you to be at my beck and call. I’m sure we can keep you entertained.”

“Sex doesn’t count as a job, either.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He paused a moment. “I do dream of it. Have dreamt of having you in my bed for the last two weeks, but I won’t assign you the task of being my love slave.”

Wren propped her chin on his chest, those eyes intent on his. “There’d have to be love for me to be your love slave.”

Griffin stroked the line of her cheek with a single finger, circled back to trace her brow and the gentle slope of her nose. “I have loved you from the first sharing of our breath, the instant I caught you and watched the poison seep from your veins, the very moment your blood passed my lips. I had no idea what the emotion even was, but in that second, it filled me.”

“You don’t know me.” Her widened eyes remained locked on him. “Hell, half the time I don’t know me.”

“And yet, I’d die without you.” He recognized that she was human and didn’t understand their connection, but that hadn’t been able to keep the words at bay.