Darius’ world froze.

Kat stood before him.

In his private room.

While he fed.

Or tried to.

Feeding hadn’t gotten any easier lately.

Kat looked gorgeous.

Her untamed hair cascaded around her face and shoulders. A red shirt showed off her lower midriff. Darius wanted to run his fingers along the exposed skin. Black pants hugged her hips, accentuating her magnificent figure.

The skilled feeder worked his cock. Darius wanted nothing more than to kick her out and ravage Kat…but he refused. Kat had made it clear she didn’t want him. She’d been the one to walk away. And he wasn’t going to hide his nature. Not anymore.

He slipped his fingers into the woman’s hair to keep her in place and met Kat’s eyes. “Can I help you, cadet?”

Kat’s face went hard. He thought he’d get a stronger reaction from her. Hate or anger or jealousy…anything. But she projected nothing, and he was too far away to touch her. Not that she’d let him touch her. She’d probably break his fingers if he tried.

Before she could answer, Tane came marching down the hall, looking more pissed off than he usually did. She slammed the door in his face and locked it.

“Open the door,” Tane yelled.

“Go away,” Darius yelled right back.

Tane growled. “Fine. You’re making a mistake.”

The feeder sat back and looked at Kat, then to Darius. “Would you like me to leave, my lord?”

“No,” Kat answered, and took a seat on a high-backed chair opposite him. Her posture tall and confident. “You can finish.”

The feeder waited on Darius for an order.

“What are you doing, Kat?” he asked.

“Watching you feed.”

“Why?”

“To see if I can handle it.”

“And if you can’t?”

She tilted her head and smiled. “Nothing changes, I already dumped you. What you really should be asking me is ‘What if I can?’”

Darius sat up a little, ignoring the fact that his dick was hard as iron and jutting out from his pants. “What if you can?”

“You’ll find out.” Kat motioned to the woman. “Go ahead.”

Darius regarded Kat for a moment. She looked serious…and he’d been right; she’d already told him no. He had nothing to lose here. And yet…he worried. For all his sleeping with humans, he didn’t truly understand them. At least not when it came to romantic relationships. Sucking in a breath, he nodded to the feeder.

Being the highly-paid professional she was, she resumed as if all this weirdness wasn’t happening around her.

Placing his hand on the side of her head, Darius had never felt so self-conscious about getting a blowjob before. It wasn’t his first time being watched—far from it—but it was the first time he cared about who watched him. And he wanted Kat to be okay with this. He considered hiding the pleasure he took, suppressing it, but as badly as he wanted to be with Kat, he also wanted her to be with him—the real him. Not some lie.

If she wanted to see what it looked like for him to feed, he’d show her.

He pushed pleasure into the feeder. Golden light shed from her as she enjoyed him. Her mouth worked his cock and Darius tilted his head back, letting a quiet moan escape as he fed.

Needing more, he squeezed the feeder’s shoulder and motioned for her to join him on the couch. She crawled up beside him, draping a leg over his thighs, and undoing a few of his shirt buttons.

His hand disappeared beneath her short dress, and his fingers found her wet folds. He circled her clit and fed as more sexual energy shed from her.

Darius locked his eyes onto Kat’s. He’d rather be doing this with her and cursed himself for being a young incubus. For needing more than she could give.

It didn’t take long for the feeder to come, her cries filling the room. But Darius hardly noticed, keeping his focus on Kat, who never broke her stony gaze.

“Was that enough, my lord?” the feeder asked once her orgasm finished.

“Yes, thank you.”

Darius stood and helped her to her feet. He tucked his dick back into his pants while she straightened her dress. She gave a slight nod to Kat, a bow to Darius, and left.

“You didn’t come,” Kat said.

“No. It’s their sexual energy I’m feeding from, not mine.”

“I thought you had to actually fuck her.”

“I…” He sighed. “It’s a better meal if I have sex, and being physically close helps, but I can survive without it if they’re a trained feeder. I might lose some weight though.”

Kat stood.

A pit formed in Darius’ stomach. “Don’t leave.”

She raised an eyebrow. “No?”

He opened his mouth, but the words had trouble forming. Pressing his eyes closed, he took a moment to steady himself. He could weather the most vile gossip about him, the largest warriors didn’t intimate him, his friends ranked among the most influential of his people, and gods help anyone who came directly after House Tarrick. The general didn’t even need to become involved: Darius had the tools to handle them himself. He could—and had—ruined entire families who dared think themselves better than the household he served…and yet Kat left him at a loss for words.

He opened his eyes, his heart sped when they met hers. “I should have told you about my feeding requirements before taking you out on the date.”

She crossed her arms and gave a slight nod but didn’t say anything.

“I apologize for that.” He pulled in a breath. “I know I can’t give you everything you want. I can’t be sexually monogamous. But I can give you—and only you—my heart. My soul. I’d forfeit my title if it meant being with you.” He wondered if she knew what he was offering. Giving up social standing wasn’t something his species did. “I want you, Kat. And not just for food, I want something deeper. You challenge me, and I find myself liking it. Don’t leave.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“You’re not?”

“Nah, I was coming over to the couch to sit with you.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him down beside her. He didn’t let her go. “I can’t say I enjoyed watching another woman blow you, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. I think I can do this…if there’re some ground rules.”

“What rules?”

“No feeding without me.”

“I can do that. But if you’re not around and I’m injured…”

“You better be on death’s door, or we’ll have some problems.”

He smiled. “Alright.”

“I get to pick who you feed on.”

“You’d hunt with me?”

“Yes. And no putting a hold on anyone, our partners have to be willing.”

“Why do you take so much issue with holds?”

“They’re too rape-y for me.”

“That’s not what they are.” She glared at him, and he didn’t want to argue with her. “Okay, no holds. Unless you try to punch me again.”

“Fine. No more lying to me. Ever.”

“No more lying,” he repeated with a nod. He didn’t want to lie to her anyway.

“Have you really slept with men before?”

He leaned against the couch and smiled at the unexpected question. A test maybe? “Not often but sometimes the mood strikes.” The arousal he felt coming from her surprised him. He ran his hand up her arm. “Would you like to watch me with another man?”

She flushed, her stone expression breaking.

“Or maybe,” he said, keeping his voice deep and sensual, “you’d like to invite another man into bed? Our focus all on you. Both of us penetrating you, filling you.”

Her flush deepened. “Maybe we could…try it…”

Unable to wait any longer, he leaned over and kissed her neck, working his way to her earlobe then sucking on it.

“But, not Tane right?” she asked.

He laughed against her skin and pulled away. “Gods no. I’m a ward of House Tarrick. We were raised as brothers. We hunt together, but we don’t feed on each other, although he threatens to take me sometimes.”

“Good to know even incubi have limits.”

Darius paused. “Well…it depends…”

“Ew. No. Don’t tell me.”

“The Lord General doesn’t permit incest in his household. It’s frowned upon everywhere else. But I know of a set of twins who—”

She batted his hand away. “Remember that part where I was like ‘Ew. No. Don’t tell me.’ And then you kept going? Next time, don’t.”

He returned to touching her arm. “Sorry. Any other rules?”

“One more. No asking me to stop being a hunter.”

“I’d never dream of it. It’s your nature, and I couldn’t deny you that. But I do have a rule, or rather, a request, of my own.” He cupped her cheek. “I know how badly you want Mont dead. But, I’m worried you’ll try to go after him before you’re ready. Give yourself time to learn so you don’t end up as his next victim.”

She turned her head down slightly. “Everyone he kills is on my hands.”

“No. It’s on his. Please. Wait until you’ve earned your leathers at least.”

“Alright. But then I’m going after that monster.”

“Deal.”

She slipped a finger between the buttons of his shirt and brushed her knuckle against his skin. “You still owe me three questions.”

“I’m pretty sure I just answered a handful.”

“Fine, I’ll knock two off. But I’m going to hold onto the last one.”

“If you want. Can I fuck you now? You’re driving me crazy, and my balls are starting to hurt.”

She palmed his crotch, tracing the outline of his hard cock. “Is there a shower in here?”

He bit back a groan. “Yes, why?”

“Because I’m trying to be okay with everything but this”—she squeezed his cock—“was down another woman’s mouth a few minutes ago, and I want you to shower before you fuck me with it.”

“I’ll shower, but you’re coming with me.”

Before she could protest, he stood, grabbed her, and tossed her over his shoulder like a caveman claiming his prize.

She squealed playfully, and tried to worm her way free. He held her tighter and growled. She laughed.

The bathroom had a small tiled shower, it’d be a tight squeeze, but they’d manage. He set her down and began to strip.

Almost finished, he realized that Kat stood with her jaw slightly open, watching him undress. He removed his pants and, rolling his shoulders back a little, stood his full height for her admiration.

“I warned you,” he said. “You’re coming with me.”

“Wait—”

He didn’t. Grabbing her around the waist, he picked her up and carried her into the shower. Turning it on, he dumped her under the lukewarm water.

“You son of a bitch,” she said, laughing, as water drenched her. “It’s cold outside, and I don’t have a change of clothes.”

He hummed his pleasure. Then ripped her shirt open down the front, exposing a black lacy bra—it delighted him that she’d likely worn it hoping things would work out tonight—and her new silver tattoos. The thick lines artfully etched on her body.

“This isn’t my shirt—”

He silenced her protests by claiming her mouth. Her lips parted so sweetly, letting him explore her. His touch brushed against hers, and together their lips danced. Slow. Passionate.

The shower heated as his hands explored her skin: her sides, her hips, her ass, her back. He wanted to map every inch. When he pulled away, she was breathless.

“Undress,” he ordered, his voice raw with need.

“What? Not going to rip it all off me? Again?”

His fingers became sharp claws, and he flexed them in front of her face. “Don’t tempt me.”

She yanked off her soggy boots and shimmied out of her tight pants.

He damn near bit his bottom lip off when he saw her black thong clinging perfectly to her wet skin. As soon as they were off, he gripped her hips and claimed her lips again. Fire ignited, fueled by the frantic, needy, mouth-fucking. Neither could get enough.

With one skilled motion, he unhooked her bra in the back and pulled it off her, tossing it to the side. Her breasts tumbled free. He resisted the urge to suck on a nipple and instead found her ass, grabbed her toned cheeks, and pulled her up. Her legs wrapped around his hips and he pressed her against the tiled wall, his dick trapped between them.

His mouth trailed down her chin, across her jaw, and to her ear. “I want to do wicked things to you,” he whispered. “I’m going to fuck you hard.”

She gasped, trying to catch her breath as he pivoted his hips forward, rubbing his cock against her, secreting a little lube to make it easier in the water. “You’ve already done that.”

He nipped at her earlobe, then licked the skin below it. “This time I’m going to remember it.”

She grabbed his hips. “Wait. Why is your cock so…uh, gooey…right now?”

“Oh. My race can produce lubricant through our skin.”

She stared at him. “That’s…seriously?”

Reaching under her leg, he forced his claws away and found her folds, running his fingers through them, letting his secretion coat her. She bit her lip, holding back her sounds.

“It makes sex easier if it needs to be quick.” Letting himself get carried away, he played with her clit, then slid down to her warm opening and thrust two fingers inside. Her eyelids flittered and her head rolled back. “So beautiful.”

He removed his fingers, gripped her ass tighter, and lifted her slightly. He lined his cock up and sunk into her.

“Gods, you have no idea how good you feel.” He began to thrust, moving her up and down him. Faster and faster. The arousing sounds she made were so loud, he was sure each adjacent room could hear her. Hell, if not for the music, the whole club could have heard her. He joined in, grunting and panting with each plunge, bringing them both closer to the peak of pleasure.

He fed. Not deep—he wanted to draw this out—but, Ilertha praised, Kat was divine.

“Come in me,” she demanded between moans.

His plans for drawing it out flew away as hot seed shot through his dick and filled her. His legs trembled and burned as he pumped hard, his body shaking.

“How did you do that?” he asked, trying to catch his breath.

She looked at him through half-hooded lids. “Do what?”

“No one has ever made me come on demand before. I wanted to wait until after you.”

Kat ran her finger across his chest. “Behold the power of my feminine wiles. How long before you can have sex again?”

“Not long.”

A devious smile crossed her lips. “Dry off and wait for me on the couch. Naked.”