STORY EXCERPT

Hearing the gunshots and shouting outside renewed Cornelius’ strength. His people and, more importantly, Dario were out there. He wiggled at his bonds, hissed in pain as the silver chains cut into his skin. Cornelius gritted his teeth. A few of the stakes came out of his body at his effort. Then the door broke down. Literally.

A giant stood there. A behemoth. Dario breathed hard, staring at him. His dragon looked like some kind of bloodstained primal deity of the past, all covered in blood, and not completely human. Blue scales covered Dario’s arms, and the slitted eyes set into his face glowed a deep burnt gold. Behind Dario slumped a dead body. Enoch’s.

“About time,” Cornelius drawled.

Dario stomped up to him. His dragon seemed to have gotten bigger than when Cornelius had last saw him. Oh, Dario always packed serious muscle, but Dario standing above him made him feel tiny. Despite sensing Dario wasn’t completely in there, that Dario let his dragon do all the driving, Cornelius knew the shifter wouldn’t hurt him. Dario breathed in and out, staring at him. Cornelius couldn’t quite catch all the emotions that raced across Dario’s face.

Was that relief? Anger? Oh, definitely the last emotion. Someone had pissed his dragon off. The scales on Dario’s body receded, but the glow in his eyes remained. Something wasn’t complete right with his dragon, but Cornelius would ask about that later, after they got away from this hell hole.

Dario grasped a handful of the chains around his chest. Cornelius grimaced as silver made Dario’s fingers hiss steam. The smell of burning flesh filled the space. Dario said nothing. Another tug and the chains broke. Dario tore them away from his body, studied him closely.

“I miss you too, baby,” Cornelius said to break the tension. “Say something.”

Dario pursued his lips, leaned down, and took his mouth completely by surprise. God. Even in his miserable, pathetic state, hunger stirred inside of him like a storm. Cornelius had been denied seven years, so desire hit him seven-fold. Dario didn’t hold back either, didn’t seem interested in merely getting a taste. Dario devoured, thrust his tongue down his throat. Then the dragon shifter reached out for the first stake in his chest, and pulled it out.

Cornelius let out a muffled scream as Dario continued to pry the stakes loose, but the dragon shifter didn’t stop kissing him. Dario blended ecstasy with pain. What a strange rush. Dario finally pulled his mouth away, only to push his wrist in front of his face.

“W-what are you doing?” Cornelius demanded. 

Another sort of hunger assailed him. Blood lust. He couldn’t stop looking away from the veins sticking out from Dario’s skin. A dominant shifter like Dario didn’t offer his blood to just anyone, and Dario was an alpha in every sense of the word. Dario had only let him feed once seven years ago and claimed it would never happen again unless Cornelius wanted to die. Except that threat had been made by a boy. Sure, Dario had turned twenty-one then. Legally, Dario had been an adult, but still a boy in Cornelius’ ancient eyes. Not now. 

The dragon shifter who stood in front of him was all man.

“You need to feed. I’m guessing you haven’t drunk a drop during the three days they held you. Feed.”

“Typical. You’re ordering me around again?” Cornelius asked. 

“Don’t waste time. More backup are coming.”

“But you don’t let just anyone feed on you.”

“You’re not just anyone.” Dario met his gaze.

Cornelius couldn’t even move his own hand, so he leaned closer. Dario pressed his wrist to his lips, helping him. Cornelius unsheathed his fangs, plunged them down. Rich blood filled him, one pumping strongly of life. That was what Dario always tasted to him. Of wilderness. Of life. He pulled away, having had his fill. Cornelius could already feel his more serious wounds closing but not all. He couldn’t afford to weaken his dragon. Dario would need all his strength to get them out.

At the very least, Cornelius could stand on his own two feet. Dario didn’t assist him, as if his dragon knew Cornelius needed to do this by himself. 

“Let’s go,” Dario said. “Leslie has hopefully disabled the security systems.”

Dario placed an arm over his shoulders, began guiding him outside. Satisfaction filled him at the sight of Enoch’s corpse.

“Is that a heart?” he asked.

“Tore it out of the fucker’s chest,” Dario said, sounding pissed. “He’s the one who worked on you, right?”

Cornelius felt himself nod. “How did you even find me?”

“Easy. Threaten enough people and eventually they’ll start singing,” Dario said, matter-of-fact.

“You’re a brute, aren’t you?” he asked as they entered the lift. “No elegance, no style at all when it comes to killing.”

Dario snorted. “Killing’s always been messy. Doesn’t matter, because you like this particular Savage.”

Cornelius couldn’t help but smile. “I do.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Dario’s dragon unfurled inside of him. For the first time in a long time, he and the beast were in agreement. He couldn’t seem to stop touching or kissing his vampire. Not enough. Dario wanted to throw Cornelius into the couch, the closest wall, the floor, and have his way with him. Claim what rightfully belonged to him. Any bastard who so much as touched a hair on his vampire, looked at Cornelius wrong, would meet his wrath.

Cornelius parted from the kiss. The vampire almost looked flushed, his pale face had a hint of color. He had done that, Dario thought with some measure of satisfaction. Made a centuries-old vampire blush. 

“I need to know where this is going. The last time we had sex, you didn’t speak to me for seven years,” Cornelius interrupted.

“I didn’t know what I was doing back then, believed all vampires were evil.”

“That’s also true. I’m a not a good individual, Dario. I’ve made wrong choices in the past, mistakes I wanted to take back, but time can’t be turned back. I’m flawed. An old soul in a young man’s body. A creature of the night.”

Dario cupped Cornelius’ cheek. It couldn’t be easy for Cornelius, admitting all that to him. Vampires were said to be the most cold-blooded creatures in the paranormal world. The older they got, the more inhuman they became. Right now, Cornelius discarded his mask for him, let himself become vulnerable for Dario. That meant all the world to him. His mate was finally opening his heart to him. Dario would do Cornelius the same courtesy.

“We’ve both made errors, me most of all by not heeding the mating call,” Dario said. 

“You’ve always been stubborn,” Cornelius said with a sexy little laugh that hardened his dick. “But that’s one of the things I’ve always liked about you. Enough talking. I got all I needed to know.”

Dario smirked. 

“Yeah?” He maneuvered Cornelius to his dining room, until Cornelius’ back hit the edge of the table. “How are your injuries?”

Cornelius gestured to his body. “You can see for yourself. I’m healed. You must have brought in a talented healer.”

Cornelius stared at his wrist again and continued, “You let me feed on you again.”

“Small price to pay, and don’t worry about the healer. She’s a witch my brothers and I trust. She’ll keep her mouth shut.”

Dario put his hands on Cornelius’ waist, easily lifted his vampire so Cornelius sat on the wooden surface. His vampire looked perfect there. Cornelius didn’t protest when Dario grabbed the end of his shirt and pulled it off him. Cornelius even raised his hand and let Dario tug it off. Finally. No shirt to hide his vampire’s gorgeous body. Every inch of Cornelius looked like white marble, scars and all. 

Dario lowered his head, kissed one puncture wound above Cornelius’ left flat nipple. The vampire shuddered, tugged him close until the front of Cornelius’ knees brushed against his denim-clad thighs. Why was Dario still dressed? 

“Wait. Need to undress.

Cornelius licked his lips. Dario liked the fact Cornelius seemed to appreciate his body. He undid his jeans, pulled them off along with his boxers in a  hurry.

“Have I told you I loved your furniture by the way?” Cornelius asked. “I should ask you about the designer some time.”

“No designer. I made them.”

Cornelius raised his eyebrows, his expression of surprise, genuine. “You?”

“Mmm. Yeah. I make furniture in my spare time, source the wood from the trees on my island. I have someone pick up the pieces, sell them for me.” Dario shrugged. “I have a small following.”

“That’s amazing. I always like a man who works with his hands.”

Dario growled, just like an animal. He saw red at the prospect of Cornelius being with another man. Then again, when it came to his vampire, his control was always shaky. 

“Make no mistake, vampire. I’m possessive as hell. From here onwards, there’ll be only one man for you. Me.”

“Then know this, dragon.” Cornelius had the nerve to run his fingers down his abs, then traced his rising cock, from root to stem. Cornelius gathered the pre-cum leaking from his cock head, lifted it to his lips, and licked them off with obvious relish. “You’re more than enough for me.”

“I mean it, Cornelius. Anyone who so much as flirts with you, I’ll rip their heads off.”

“You’re turning me on with those words.” Cornelius began to reach for his prick again, but Dario pressed a hand to Cornelius’ chest, until Cornelius lay against the table. A feast for him to enjoy. Over and over again. Dario licked his lips and began planting a path of kisses down Cornelius’ chest. He paid attention to each scar, went lower, until he reached Cornelius’ dick. 

“This is what’s going to happen. I’m going to taste you first, then I’ll have my fill of you.”

“Fill?” 

“I’m going to blow you then fuck you senseless,” Dario answered plainly.

Cornelius chuckled. “You always had a way with words.”