A long, never-ending moment went by as they stared at each other. Chests heaving. Hearts pounding.
Universes were formed and destroyed during that time. Stars were birthed. The planets spun round and round. Babies were born, and the elderly Faded. Storms raged and calmed.
None of it carried even a drop of significance.
The only thing that mattered was the woman in front of him.
Ryker drew in a deep breath, and then, did he the first thing that came to mind.
He kissed her.
This wasn’t a gentle meeting of their mouths or a slow, languid caress. This kiss was fire. It was passion, ardor, and anger all mixed in a burning embrace.
It was hurt and forgiveness, pain and passion, sorrow and joy.
It was fuckingeverything.
This was nothing like their first kiss or those stolen, timid touches during the Choosing.
Those people, that picture-perfect couple, no longer existed. Maybethey never had. Hurt and pain lay between them… but so did truth, honesty, and love.
Their mouths warred for attention.
Brynleigh nipped his lip.
He moaned.
Ryker ran his tongue across the seam of her mouth, and she opened for him. He tasted her, and gods above, he almost came right there.
This was the most passionate embrace of his entire gods-damned life. He desired this vampire unlike anyone else he’d ever met. His cock strained against his shorts, his blood pumped through his veins, and every part of him wanted her.
Needed her.
Keeping one arm on the wall above her head, he threaded his other hand behind her neck. He angled her head just so, tilting her so he could properly devour her.
And she let him.
A moan slipped from her lips, and he swallowed it with his mouth.
Her hands fisted in his damp shirt, and she tugged him even closer. The unspoken message was crystal clear.
More.
By the Sands, Ryker would give her what she was asking for. It wasn’t a hardship. This was everything he’d wanted since he first heard her voice during the Choosing.
Every stitch of clothing was far too great of a barrier.
They kissed, becoming a tangle of lips, tongues, and teeth.
Brynleigh sucked on his bottom lip, and he groaned. He released her neck, cradled her bottom, and lifted her off the floor.
She wrapped her legs around him, rubbing her core against his hardened length.
“I want you, Ry,” she moaned, retracting her wings. “I haven’t stopped wanting you.”
The words were permission, an unleashing, and a summoning. They were everything Ryker had ever wanted to hear.
A growl rumbled through his chest as he reclaimed her lips, turned from the wall, and strode to the bedroom.