Free Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson

face her. That’s an order.”
    “ Oui, Ma Reine. I will go, then.”
    “And, please, for the love of everything good in the world, you have to stop calling me that. We’ve already covered this. I’m not your queen. This is a partnership, not a monarchy. You came into this of your own free will. You’re not my subject.”
    The first glint of a smile spread across her lips, revealing some of the old, strong Naomi I knew was still in there. It was nice to see her again. Losing her brother Eamon and having to deal with Ray had taken its toll. It was time for me to make it right.
    “It is a term of endearment only, as I have told you,” she mused. “But it fits you. It truly does.”
    “There is nothing remotely queenly about me,” I scoffed. “It’s the worst title you could possibly give me.”
    Naomi shook her head. “That’s where you are wrong. You are very queenly.” Before I could argue, she walked over to Ray with purpose. Rourke had unchained him. She lifted Ray under one arm and draped the heavy metal links across her other shoulder like she’d slung on a purse. “Until then, Ma Reine .”
    She shot into the air.
    Watching vamps take flight was amazing. I’d have to ask her how it worked. My guess was their bones must be light and hollow, because they didn’t need any marrow, like a bird’s, and they could somehow siphon air through them or something cool like that. I shook my head and turned to Rourke. “We have to break her of calling me her queen and come up with something with less of a sovereign ring to it.”
    “I think it’s fitting.” Rourke grinned. “You’re my Reine too.” He strode over and grabbed my hips, bringing us together.
    I glanced around, realizing we were suddenly alone and out of the godforsaken car. And there was no imminent threat bearing down on us. He lowered his head slowly and I let his scent wash over me for the gazillionth time. I would never grow tired of it.
    When he was this close, I couldn’t focus on anything else.
    All my neurons fired at once and my brain became hazy. It didn’t help that my wolf started running in circles yipping, contributing to the chaos.
    His tongue entered my mouth, hot against mine.
    I opened myself up to him easily, taking him in, my lips parting with a long sigh. Finally. He was soft and hard and perfect. All his strength pushed tightly up against mine, the way it should be.
    He growled and pressed us together, deepening the kiss.
    Our heads tilted farther and my hands shot to his chest, landing on the ridiculously tight T-shirt he’d borrowed from Tyler, now dirty and torn from the explosion. “We need to get this off of you,” I murmured as I started to pull, immediately hearing a satisfying rip.
    At the sound, he broke our embrace, appearing as dazed as I felt. “Jessica.” His irises radiated a beautiful deep green. “Not yet. We can’t do this yet.” He took a small step back and ran the back of his hand over his mouth. “Your taste is like an addiction. It’s so damn hard to quit once I start, but we have to go up to the cabin. Staying here is a mistake.”
    He was right.
    I pounded my fist against his chest in frustration and then rested my forehead against it. I was one millimeter away from kicking someone’s puppy. I leaned back so I could glance up at him, knowing my irises flashed the same emotion as his. “I hear you. My brain just doesn’t work properly when you’re around, as we learned from our happy fun time in the car. All my wolf wants to do is rip your clothes off in a mindless frenzy. It’s hard not to be resentful of our obligations when all I want is to be with you.”
    A snarl ripped from his diaphragm and he tugged me against him, flattening his strong hands against my back, his arms locking around me tightly. He lowered his mouth against my ear and rasped, “I haven’t denied myself anything in a thousand years. Resisting you is taking every ounce of everything I’ve got. My beast is