Free Elusive Hero: Invitation to Eden (Vampire Queen Series Book 12) by Joey Hill

to her, putting his hand against the small of her back, thumb stroking the upper curve of her buttock. He had hands large as bear paws, it seemed, and they compelled a mesmerizing calm.
    “Just stand here, my lady. Feel it, get used to it. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
    She knew how empty reassurances of safety were, but she found she could be just as susceptible to their comfort when accompanied by his touch, the press of his body. A second mark servant could speak inside his Mistress’s head, and she wondered how that would add to the tempting sense of sanctuary between Master and sub.
    Once every five years, vampires assembled at the Council Gathering. Usually held in a sprawling estate or castle, the event required extra staff, so servants of lower echelon vampires were often drafted to serve as extra help. During that time, they were naked except for head masks to conceal their identity. It underscored that those servants were there to serve the pleasures of the visiting vampires indiscriminately and with enthusiasm, to honor their Master or Mistress. The idea had spawned quite a few more fantasies for her, the first year she’d attended.
    There was a wide gap between fantasy and reality. When she imagined another vampire seeing her like this, or Garron offering her up to serve others, her fingers itched to do violence to stave off the panic. She forced herself to calm, but it wasn’t only her own efforts that helped. The way his hand rested on her waist, the wrap of the tether around his hand that allowed her to feel its slight tug, made her think he really wasn’t the sharing kind.
    By all the saints, she was getting ahead of things, her mind running amok. They were just standing by a grotto, him giving her the opportunity to trust him during a walk back to her room, in a familiar tunnel where they’d be seen by no one.
    “Ready?” he said, his voice a pacifying interjection into her tumultuous thoughts.
    Apparently so, because she was in motion, walking with him. The tether was a gentle pull at her throat, and his hand never left her waist. His body brushed hers once again as he guided her back into the tunnel, placing a brief hand on the crown of her head. While he’d had to bend significantly to get through the tunnel opening, she’d only had to duck her head, but he still protected her from scraping the rough archway. Once in the tunnel, he eased her back into a straightened position, kept her moving forward.
    The sensory deprivation heightened the scents of earth and wet rock. Which increased other senses as well. She felt every brush of his hip against her buttock, and each finger resting on her lower back sent individual tendrils of heat into her lower belly. The tug of the tether had her nipples stiffening, and the constriction of the collar around her throat made her imagine his grip there instead, holding her down, collaring her with flesh and bone as he spread her legs and plunged into her, commanding her to wrap her legs around his hips, take him deeper. His skin would heat, the blood rushing to his cock, making him thicker and harder, and she’d hear his heart thundering, his life essence calling to her.
    Her fangs were lengthening, and she realized she’d rested her hand on his side, was screwing her fingers into the fabric of his T-shirt. As she thought of him teasing that blood over her lips, her nails dug into the flesh beneath. She wanted to taste him. Needed to taste him.
    As they made another turn, he gave her a gift, proving how insightful he was. Sliding an arm around her waist, he crowded her against the stone wall, himself against her body. Surrounding her with all that strength and weight, he cupped the back of her head, brought her mouth to his throat.
    “Ask my permission to feed, my lady. You need your Master’s permission to eat, to drink, to sleep.”
    He was so close she could practically taste his skin. He had his hand wrapped in her hair, but that wouldn’t stop