Quench by J. Hali Steele Page B

an
old-ass man by the time you got around to bringing them together.” Phoenix
sucked at the breeze that blew across the desert. “They will still live separately
in you but they are one on the outside. You’ll get used to it.”
    He should have known. This cat could probably read God’s
mind.
    “Yeah, you should have known and no, I’m not that good. Alek, you’re special, embrace it.” He looked toward the door. “Your
woman’s coming.”
    “She’s not my woman.”
    “Good God, am I going to have to change her for you?”
    Growling, Alek bristled, his hands clenched into fists. If
he’d been in his cat his hackles would be up. “Don’t ever touch her again.” Aww
hell, this was not a battle he wanted.
    Viv stepped through the door. The sight of her had him
gulping air. Damn he wanted her. Forever.
    Phoenix’s green eyes nailed him to the railing. “When is the
last time you thirsted for Nikol’s blood?”
    Alek’s mouth opened and closed, opened again but no sound
came out. How long had it been? He’d drunk from the prince early in the morning
the day he met Viv. That night was when he first tasted her blood. Three nights
ago. He’d never gone so long.
    “Three days, almost four.” There had been no sexual urges
for Nikol, no desire rode his back like a monkey except the desire to have the
woman standing in front of him.
    Viv’s head moved back and forth, finally resting on Phoenix.
    “What are you saying?” she asked.
    “You’re his mate, the answer to his prayers. His only thirst
is for you.” Phoenix spun past her and stepped in the door. “First and foremost
we are cats but we’re also vampyres, so we lust for whatever feeds us. Nothing
says we gotta fuck it unless we want to.” He grinned wide. “You guys can handle
it from here, right?”
    “Hey!” Viv yelled as Phoenix flickered out of sight. “What
about my powers?”
    His form shimmered back into the room. “The ping in the arm
was a booster shot to speed up the mating that would have happened anyway. Your
power to dematerialize is fine.” He smiled at them both. “She didn’t want to
leave so she couldn’t. You didn’t want her to go so she couldn’t.” Phoenix
vanished in a shower of white light.
    “Goddamn him,” Alek said. “Maybe he is the fucking devil.”
    You’re getting closer but don’t push it, boy. I don’t
like you that much . Laughter surrounded the arena.
    Thanks, man.
    My pleasure.
    “Alek, what the hell just happened?”
    He couldn’t wrap his arms around her fast enough. His mouth
slammed into hers so hard, he drew blood. Running his tongue over her lips, he
moaned.
    “What happened is now you’re mine, baby.”
    “That works both ways,” she purred. “I’ve been yours since
the day I touched this.” She ran her nails up the front of his pants. “And I
still like how it feels Mr. Got-a-helluva-package.”
    His cock throbbed under her hand.
    “Viv, there’s so much I need to tell you. I don’t care if
you walk on all fours or wear fur ever. Law and Dace hardly ever change, you
can be like them if that’s what you want.” He lifted her chin up to gaze into
her sparkling blue eyes. “Don’t you want to see the sun again?”
    “Yes. I want to see everything the way you do, I want to run
with you, play with you in the desert sun.” Her fingers brushed his cheek and
stopped on his lips. He sucked one into his mouth and wrapped his tongue around
it. She looked at him with so much love in her eyes. “I want to be with you all
the way no matter what it means.” She peered at him. “Are you okay with the
Nikol thing? I don’t care one way or another.”
    “As my true mate you would but trust me, all I need is you,
honey. Since the day I first tasted you.” Now he knew it was true, he
understood why he hadn’t thirsted for Nikol’s blood, which was what caused his
overriding desire to be with him carnally. Phoenix had been right—it was his
choice.
    Alek lifted her in his arms and