His lips curled into a smile so dark and sexy, her toes curled into the dirt. “To mark you. You’re mine, Cassie. In every way. Come on.”

He took her hand and led her back to the lake. The water was cold but he held her close, warming her as he gently washed his semen from her body. It was soothing, almost sweet. He moved her hair aside and kissed where he marked her. Then her shoulders were being rubbed in sensuous, relaxing circles that had her body turning into melted butter.

She moaned gruffly when he stopped. But he didn’t stop there. His hands traced down her arms, then over her stomach to her core. He palmed her, wiping away her own essence but drawing forth a new ache with his touch. He reached down and rubbed the muscles of her thighs, her bottom, her lower back.

She was mass of aroused, putty woman when he turned her around and lifted her legs around him. He held her hips as he pressed his cock to her entrance and slid smoothly inside her.

He loved her with hard, long pumps of his hips. It wasn’t rushed. She came to her peak slowly, sweetly clinging to his wet back as he held her tightly, gushing hot and thick inside her.

He carried her back to the cabin, which was good because she was certain she couldn’t move after all that, and laid her on the cot.

After he laid down the logs for the fire he said, “It’s time you told me about your past. You’re mine to protect now.” He turned to her with the most serious, beautiful brown eyes she’d ever seen. “And I won’t let anything or anyone hurt you.”

All the joy from their time together vanished as if it’d never happened. She couldn’t tell him about Daniel, could she?

Chapter 9

Cassie quickly weighed her options. Tell him and risk his life in the process or lie, which sent her stomach in knots. She didn’t know what she was doing now. In less than an hour’s time, he’d manage to completely usurp her previous plans of leaving.

It was hard to complain though when the thought of leaving him had her heart pulling tight in her chest.

“I can’t,” she finally said.

He finished lighting the fire and crossed the room to her. She flinched when he reached for her, which only made him scowl. She hadn’t meant to, but he looked so angry. He pushed the hair out of her face and pressed a kiss to her temple. The act was so sweet, so heartwarming that she had to blink back tears.

“Yes you can. Don’t you trust me to protect you?” She shook her head; she didn’t doubt his physical strength. Yet, she’d known Daniel since she was a child. He was an old vampire and had incredible strength.

“Yes, I do.” It was an honest answer. Her heart told her the truth--that this lykaen was stronger than Daniel. Logic told her that was impossible. Yet she believed it all the same.

“Then tell me,” he encouraged. His voice was so lovely, and the way he said the words were as if he had all the time in the world to listen to her talk. Fine, she’d tell him. He deserved to know after all he admitted to her.

“Daniel—”

“Shh!” Darien pressed a palm over her mouth and cocked his head to the side. “Stay here,” he ordered and vanished out the front door.

Panic set in fast. Oh, no, oh no. He’s here. He found her. He said he would. Cassie drew her knees up to her chest and rocked back and forth.

She heard a sharp snap, and then an agonized cry pierced her ears. Was that Darien? She ran to the cabin door, her eyes darting out into the night looking for some kind of movement. She wanted to collapse when Darien burst through the trees. He ran to her. She saw the blood a second before she smelled it. The smell made her want to gag.

“It’s not your blood,” she said dumbly.

“No, it’s not. Come on, honey. We have to get out of here.” He grabbed her hand and started pulling her. He started to run but shock had her legs dragging slowly. She tripped over the ground and started to fall. He caught her in one quick move, ducking down and picking her up in his arms. He carried her the rest of the way; the trees moving by so fast they were a blur.

They reached the thicket where his truck was parked but two men were there. No, not men. Two vampires. She jumped out of his arms, tugging on his hand to go back. She recognized them.

“Please,” she heard herself saying. These were Daniel’s guards. Some of his best. She’d felt the pain of their anger many times. “Let’s go now.” Her eyes frantically shot around looking for the face of her nightmares. He was nowhere to be seen. The coward.

“Stay here, and don’t move, Cassie.”

Cassie cried out just as he exploded into action. He jumped, leaping into the air and landing on the first man’s chest with his feet. The vampire fell down hard to the ground, his body bouncing on the dirt.

The second vampire attacked without hesitation. He landed a blow to Darien’s side that must have cracked ribs. But Darien never made a sound. Darien used the vampire’s closeness to his advantage and snapped his elbow back into his face. The vampire howled, his hands flying to his shattered nose.

Darien lifted his knee and slammed his boot into the vampire’s chest. The vampire flew back like he’d just had a bomb go off in front of him. His back wrapped around a tree trunk with a nasty crunch and then he slumped down to the ground, unmoving.

Then Darien was in front of her, picking her up in his arms and carrying her to the truck. He took her to the driver’s side with him and held her close as his truck started with a roar.

“They’re not dead,” she whispered raggedly.

They wouldn’t stop coming after her either. They would tell Daniel they’d found her. It was all over. Her fun little fantasy with Darien was finished.

“No, they’re not dead. How do you feel?”

She snorted and rested her cheek against his shoulder. With him near, she felt safe. “Been better. Where are we going?”

“To my brothers. I need to talk to him about this.” She went stiff as a board.

“What do you mean?” His eye cut to hers. For a moment, she thought he’d figured out her secret.

“We’ll protect you. I’ll protect you, Cassie.”

“Why?” she asked softly. She had to know. Even as her gut tightened and her heart constricted in her chest, she had to know why.

“We had sex. Even now you could be pregnant. I protect my own, Cassie.”

Whatever answer she wanted or was expecting she was certain that wasn’t it. Stiffly she moved off his lap and sat in the passenger side.

“What’s wrong?”

His eyes cut to hers again. She turned and smiled at him as she buckled herself in. It wasn’t because she was afraid of getting into an accident and flying through the windshield but because the secure belt around her helped her to feel stabilized.

“I just don’t want to get your family bothered with my problems.” That was putting it lightly.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re mine now, and we take care of our own.”

What was the point of being his if he didn’t even...? No, she couldn’t let herself think like that. Don’t be stupid, Cassie. The man loved once in his life and that particular emotion wasn’t saved for her. It had long been spent and buried under six feet of dirt.

So what was she to him now? Some sort of breeding mare that he felt inclined to protect because she might be pregnant. A wave of hysteria must be building up inside her because she just had the craziest thought. After she got the latest beating from Daniel, she should have run upstairs and gotten a package of condoms—not that she actually had any anyways—but then at least they wouldn’t be in this predicament. He’d be safe from any and all involvement with her.

Honestly, she couldn’t help but wonder what the lykaen giant would do then. If they’d somehow magically been able to use condoms while they had sleep sex and fantastic, outdoor wood sex and then later in the water....