Free Vampires' Consort: Magical Menages, Book 2 by Bonnie Dee

a man to deny himself what he wanted. During his life, his mode had been to seize and possess. His newfound benevolence toward humanity had only taken place over the past ninety years and had been a slow learning process, for at heart he was a selfish being.
    Right now he must leave Jacob and Akila alone to become acquainted with one another. Slaking his lust was not important. The world was at risk and trying to save it was the least he could do to make up for his years of rampaging across the globe destroying fragile humanity in order to satisfy his craving for violence and blood. Maybe there could be redemption for him after all from this one grand gesture.
    But it was hardly his grand gesture, was it? Jacob would be the causative agent and Akila the one who would carry the savior. Other than bringing the two together, what part did he really play in the event? He’d contributed a little DNA, staged a little show of dominance to spur Jacob to make a move. That was all. It wasn’t as if their progeny would truly be his child.
    He stared at the pale blossoms in the garden, then at the lozenge moon that frosted the ocean waves. The primal sounds coming from the bedroom window accelerated as Jacob and Akila’s union neared completion. Valarian rested his hand on the bulge in his trousers, cupping but not rubbing his erection.
    Akila’s wail of release signaled the end of their coupling. It was followed by the murmur of two voices sharing confidences. That was as it should be. It was a vampire’s nature to spend a long, solitary existence. Partners, thralls, friends, sexual attachments came and went as the years rolled by. No matter how close those attachments might seem at the time, they inevitably faded and drifted away to be replaced by new emotional entanglements.
    He sighed. Now he’d truly depressed the hell out of himself and that was unacceptable. Moody contemplation was Jacob’s special gift, not his.
    Valarian turned away from the garden and the sounds of Akila and Jacob’s connection and trotted down to the beach to enjoy a late-night swim. There was always something to do, some pleasure to be had in solitude. By the time he’d stripped off his clothes and dove into the water, he was laughing at the absurdity of life once more. A vampire begetting a child by proxy—what foolishness would the universe think up next?

Chapter Seven
    Akila woke to the sight of a school of orange-and-black clownfish darting among colorful corals. The water in the huge tank bubbled soothingly and the opalescent walls of her room curved around her like a shell. She was the pearl nestled on a soft bed at the heart of it. Smiling at her fancy, she yawned and stretched on her luxurious, big bed. Her body ached in all the right places. Her pussy was sore from being pounded, her nipples tender after being sucked so hard, and her mouth bruised from crushing kisses. Her cheeks and chin were a little raw from razor burn. All these minor discomforts added up to a great pleasure. Her body had been well used. Just thinking of last night made her crave more.
    But the bed beside her was empty. Jacob was gone. He’d left in the night to return to his own room, pressing a kiss to her lips while he thought she slept. Akila had been awake and aware of his leaving. She understood. It wasn’t as if they had a relationship. It would be awkward to spend the night together and wake up curled around each other like lovers. Even so, she’d felt a pang of regret as she’d listened to the door close behind him.
    Now she rolled over and looked at the window. Bright light shone behind the blinds. A glance at the bedside clock told her she’d slept away most of the morning. How decadent to be able to sleep in without the nagging feeling she should be out searching for another job.
    Losing her position as a sales clerk at a department store hadn’t seemed like much of a loss at first. The job was supposed to be temporary. She had a college degree, goals,