Freaking witch.
There wasn’t anywhere to run. The flames were all around her. No, not just around her.
Allison screamed when fire licked its way up her arms. She dropped to the ground, rolling and slapping at the flames. But more flames just came, burning her, burning…
“I’ve got you.”
She was still screaming so she barely heard the words. He had to tell her three times, then Allison managed to glance up.
Cade was there, pulling her against his chest. And it hurt. She hurt. Deep blisters covered her skin, and the smell of burnt flesh—her flesh—had her stomach rolling.
“Hold on,” he told her as he rose, tucking her body close against his. The movement hurt, but she locked her teeth to hold back the cry.
A wall of fire blocked them. There was nowhere to go. No—
He bent his head over hers. Curved his body so that he was covering her, and he leapt right through the flames.
Allison heard the rush of the fire—a wild whoosh of sound—and the burning breath of the flames blew over her body.
Then they both hit the ground. They fell in a tangle of limbs, spinning, rolling, falling down a hill. Faster, faster.
She didn’t feel the bumps. Didn’t feel the bruises. But when they fell into the too-chilled water of a lake, oh, sweet hell, yes, she felt that.
And she just sank beneath that cold water. Her eyes wanted to sag closed. Why was that so wrong? She’d rest a few moments in the sweet cold, then everything would be fine.
Something grabbed her. Her eyes flew open. Through the murky water, she could just make out Cade’s form. He looked furious, his eyes glowing. His hands wrapped around her shoulders, and he pulled her toward him. A powerful kick from his legs sent them shooting toward the surface. Allison couldn’t get her own legs to move and was grateful for her wolf’s strength.
And it was only when they broke the surface and when his gasps for breath filled her ears that Allison realized…
I’m not breathing.
Chapter Six
Fuck, f**k, f**k no.
Allison’s eyes were wide open. Staring straight at him, but the woman wasn’t seeing him. She wasn’t breathing. Her body was ice cold.
A shudder shook his frame as Cade lowered her to the ground. “Come on, sweetheart,” he muttered as he pushed back her wet hair and ran his fingers over her face. “Breathe for me.”
Blisters and deep burns covered her forearms and hands. Her legs had fallen victim to the fire—he’d seen the wounds.
So much pain.
Too much.
She wasn’t breathing.
He wasn’t letting her go like this. Not like this.
He put his mouth to hers. Damn she was cold. Her lips were like ice against his.
Cade blew into her mouth. Take my breath, sweetheart. Take it.
Nothing.
He gave her his breath again. Come on, Allison. Don’t leave me.
He pushed air into her mouth once more.
And she jerked beneath him. His head lifted and he stared down at her, desperate, wild.
She’d coughed up water and seemed to be breathing now. Her eyes actually saw him. But she was still so icy. So pale.
And hurting so much.
His canines had stretched when he’d first caught the scent of smoke. The wolf within had known that danger stalked Allison. His claws had come out, his teeth had prepared to rip and tear—he’d been ready to do anything in order to protect her.
Anything.
He lifted his hand and slashed his wrist with his teeth.
“C-Cade?” Her voice was a broken whisper. “Why…don’t hurt…”
He put his wrist to her mouth. “Drink.” Because if she didn’t, he could still lose her.
Allison shook her head. “N-no.” Her body shook, trembling hard, and he knew shock when he saw it.
Fire was a particular bitch for vampires. They burned far faster than humans. Faster than any of the other paranormals.
But you knew that, didn’t you, Elsa? He had to deal with that witch. Payback.
After he made sure Allison wasn’t checking out on him. “Take it,” he ordered, staring into her eyes. The gold was almost gone now, never a good sign with a pureblood vamp. It meant her body was too depleted.
But she turned her head away. “I…can’t. I don’t want to be…”
A vampire.
Screw it. “No changing what we are.” He knew the scent of his blood had to be driving her crazy. He’d seen her nostrils flare. Oh, yeah, she liked that scent. “So either drink or die.”
Her head slowly turned back toward him. He could see the fear in her gaze. And the desperation.
He could also see that just beneath her too-pale lips, her fangs were growing.
With every second that passed, Allison lost her mortal self. Before his eyes, she was becoming more.
Vampires are the enemy. That had been his line for years. Parasites. Good only for killing.
Slowly, her mouth pressed against his wrist.
The only good vamp…
She didn’t look like a parasite.
Is a staked vampire.
Her tongue slipped out and licked the blood. Her eyes were open, on his. At the first taste of his blood, he heard the sharp inhale of her breath.
She likes it.
She licked up another drop of blood.
Her eyes were still on his.
But…
A tear streaked down her cheek. Not a blood tear, and usually those were the only tears a vampire could shed. Allison still shed human tears as she took his blood.
“More,” he whispered because she hadn’t taken enough blood to heal her wounds. Not even close.
Her mouth pressed harder against him and when he felt the scrape of her teeth, Cade expected the memories to slam into him. Another bite, another time.
Torture.
Screams.
Hell.
But…but he only saw her. Saw the gold come back into her eyes. Saw the wounds begin to fade from her body. He didn’t feel like prey.
Her mouth on him—damn, it felt good.
No pain. A pleasure he’d never expected to feel from a vampire’s bite.
Fuck. He was getting turned on while a vampire fed from him.
Her teeth sank into his wrist. She sucked harder and damn if his c**k didn’t swell even more.
The rush of pleasure had his breath panting out. This wasn’t just about saving her any longer. Now he was the one who wanted more.
Cade hadn’t gotten enough of Allison when he’d had her in that bed beneath him. Maybe he’d never get enough.
His hand tunneled in her hair. Not to force her away from his wrist, but to hold her against him. To make her take more.
When she licked him again, it was like a shot of pleasure right to his cock.