The Warrior Vampire(84)

Ronan disengaged, his hips jerking as he thrust wildly into her. Naya sensed that he was about to pull away and held on to him, gripping his thighs from behind. “No. Stay with me,” she said through pants of breath.

His body went rigid as he came, his low, drawn-out moan coaxing delicious chills to the surface of Naya’s skin. Heat flooded her body as his cock pulsed inside of her. He collapsed over her, holding her tight against him as he rocked back to rest on his knees. Their bodies still joined, Naya sank back, enjoying the way he filled her so completely. His heated breath raced in her ear and Ronan trembled around her. “Our child would be a dhampir,” he whispered. The words bore such deep emotion that her heart ached. “A dhampir with the ability to hear the music of magic, perhaps. I wasn’t sure if—”

“Ronan.” Maybe they should have talked about issues like pregnancy before they’d attacked each other like mindless animals. Though supernatural beings didn’t contract human diseases, they shared one sentiment with the mundane, and it was obvious Ronan was worried. “I’m not fertile, if that’s what you’re worried about. One of the benefits of wielding magic. I’m in control of every aspect of my body.”

“I wasn’t worried.” He kissed behind her ear. “I love babies. I plan to have several of them someday. But we didn’t talk about it and I didn’t want you to think that I would be careless with you.”

Several of them? Good gods. “I appreciate your concern.” She laughed. “But there’s no reason to be. And Ronan…” She might not have wanted to discuss the prospect of children with him while their relationship was so new, but it needed to be said. “I would love my child if it was a dhampir, bruja, or anything else.”

He continued to hold her, his chest brushing her back with every breath. “The complications of a tether are many, it seems.” The words were spoken with humor, but Naya sensed his worry.

“But nothing we can’t manage.” She meant that, too. Their relationship was definitely unconventional, but in comparison to the obstacles that still stood in their way—the mapinguari for starters—a conversation about birth control was a walk in the park.

Ronan pulled out and a profound sense of loss overtook her as their bodies separated. He urged her to turn and Naya settled in his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist.

“You’re right.” He kissed her once, slow. “There’s nothing we can’t manage.”

Gods, she hoped they were right.





CHAPTER

25

“Naya. Wait for sundown.”

Ronan raked his fingers through his hair as frustration churned in his gut. Two hours, that’s all he needed from her, yet Naya refused to wait another second.

“I’ve already waited too long.” She slid the yellow blade of her dagger into the sheath at her back before she secured a wide leather cuff bracelet around her left wrist. “It’s not fair to Luz to make her run interference for this long, either.”

“Seems fair to me.” She’d threatened to run her blade through his heart. Ronan didn’t want to be anywhere near Naya’s cousin right now.

Naya turned a caustic eye on him and continued to get ready, retrieving a pair of boots from the nearly empty closet. “Paul already has it out for her. I’m not going to give him any more ammo.”

The more Ronan learned about Paul, the more he sounded like the type of male that Ronan would like to stomp under his boot. “What did she do to get on his bad side?”

Naya grinned. “What didn’t she do? Luz harbors a general disdain for authority. Doesn’t really do her any favors with our tightly woven social structure, know what I mean?”

Ronan couldn’t imagine any female feistier than Naya, though Luz had definitely served to rub him the wrong way. It appeared that the female was always looking for an excuse to commit violence on someone’s person. Come to think of it, she’d be great to have on the payroll.

“Regardless, I think she can take care of herself, don’t you?”

Naya’s mouth formed a hard line. So stubborn. “That’s not the point. Whether or not she can hold her own with Paul and Joaquin, she shouldn’t have to. This is my responsibility, not hers.”

“I’m a responsibility?” Ronan knew he was acting like an ass, but her words stung.

She let out a huff of breath. “You know what I mean, Ronan.”

“What if you’re attacked on your way?” He couldn’t simply sit here, imprisoned until sundown, while she was out there, unprotected.

“Mapinguari are nocturnal.” Her matter-of-fact tone drove him crazy. She cocked her head to the side and flashed him a superior grin. “Sort of like vampires. Nothing’s going to attack me as long as the sun is up.”