Free Blood Love (God Wars Book 4) by Connie Suttle

of windows, overlooking miles of gishi trees. Ashe could see half the grove from his bedroom.
    Ashe was already waiting inside—with his father, Aedan Evans. Nervously lowering my shield, I read Aedan. My to-do list got longer in the few seconds it took to learn all about him. Aedan was vampire, and more than a thousand years old. He'd come to make sure I didn't damage his son. Did that rankle and make my stomach rebel? The short answer is yes.
    Trajan set me down and helped straighten my clothes while I studied Ashe and Aedan. Think of Kay , Trajan told me in mindspeech.
    Or close my eyes and think of England? I paraphrased.
    "Yeah. Think of England," Trajan said aloud and grinned. "Come on, let's do this." He propelled me gently toward Ashe.
    * * *
    Ashe's Journal
    She was shivering. I didn't expect that. With my enhanced hearing, I could hear her breaths tremble. Breanne was terrified of me.
    "There's no need to be frightened," I said, discovering that my voice wasn't exactly even.
    "I'm supposed to say that to you," she told me, lowering her eyes. "I can't reach properly if you're standing," she added, gesturing with an unsteady hand for me to sit on the side of the bed.
    "Better?" I stepped back and sat on the edge of my bed.
    "Yeah. Now," she breathed, doing her best to ignore my father, who stood closer than either of us wanted, "I grip the back of your neck firmly, so you can't move. You'll have to help with this, because I'm too weak right now to prevent movement."
    "I won't move," I promised. I hadn't noticed before that her eyes were a deep, cobalt-blue.
    "Please don't," she said, gripping her lower lip in her teeth to keep it from trembling like the rest of her. "I could tear your skin, and I really don't want that."
    "I don't want that either," I said. "Kevis is here, now, just in case."
    "Yeah, I got his scent a second ago," Breanne murmured. "Now, I look into your eyes and tell you I won't hurt you," she went on. "And I won't. If it hurts, it'll be unintentional, I assure you."
    "You won't hurt me," I insisted.
    "Don't be all macho," she quavered. "That's pure stupidity. If it hurts, it hurts. End of story."
    I wanted to tell her I understood. I didn't. I had no idea what depths of pain she'd endured in the past. Actually, some of it was quite recent. I hadn't stood my ground and taken a beating from that evil masquerading as a god. Breanne had. Was it to give us time to gather—Wisdom and me? Was it to allow Griffin and Thurlow time to escape without threat of pursuit? I still hadn't determined the answer and frankly, I was afraid to ask what her reasoning was.
    "I won't be macho," I answered instead, making my voice as gentle as I could.
    "Good. I won't hurt you," she repeated, massaging the back of my neck gently. "Hold still, now," she breathed against my neck before placing a kiss over my artery. That sent an unexpected shiver through me. Dad told me a kiss was expected, but my reaction was unanticipated.
    The moment her fangs were in my throat, my body stiffened in the most intense climax I'd ever experienced. She pulled away too soon. Much, much too soon. I wanted it to last. I wanted to savor it. When I came back to myself at her whimper, I discovered my arms were wrapped around her—so tightly I was likely squeezing the breath from her body.
    "Shhh," I loosened my grip slightly.
    "Bro, I'll take her," Trajan said.
    "No. Let me have this moment," I mumbled my reply.
    * * *
    Breanne's Journal
    I almost fainted from the intensity of the climax that bled from him back to me, and the energy that came with it. When I came back to myself, his arms were wrapped so tightly around me I couldn't breathe.
    "Shhh," he soothed, loosening his arms slightly. Had I made a noise? Obviously I had.
    "Bro, I'll take her," Trajan said.
    "No, let me have this moment," Ashe's chest rumbled with his reply. I whimpered—I couldn't help it. He didn't get to do this to me—he couldn't cast me away with one hand and hold onto